Thursday 23
East Kilbride
I Deaf Action’s Choir Christmas Charity Concert \ lll.lf_'k' lllt'allt'. \lauwll llriw. lll ‘55 34:40" \pni :5 -\nnual ('lnixlniax tonic” in. llltllll‘.’ pcrlorrnantcx Iroin (iomn \alxalion \rrn} \onjgxlt'rx A; \l \lalliw. \\ ('lnntli (lion illlllljJHllt' luau} l'lllk'l \lk'dl .lionx l’rmculx lo Klv'lll \tlllilll lor lk-al (‘hiltlrcn lll .‘\lllti.l
Saturday 25 "
Glasgow
I Midnight Mass \l \Iri}\iii\' (‘lnntlL :5 RUVC \llt‘k‘l. (lJlllk'llllll. 5;: lU5" lllltllllf.‘lll l illani llk't’ Roman (Lilliolit' Bolt-Inn lll_L'll \l.l\\
Glasgow
I Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival: Opera Gala l<o_\.il ('onu-n Hall. 3 \aunlnchall Slit-cl. ‘5; MM”
5 illprn LIX {In 50 lllt‘ RSV) l\ |Ulllt'll h} lhc (ilaxgon l’liocnn (lion and L'Hllllllk'llll .‘\lllllt'\\ (in-criuooil lor an cwningg ol opcra l;l\Ulll'llt'\ lllt'llltllllf.‘ \i'rilfllull/(71mmanil l’llt‘t‘lllfl ('II [’1’] (ll.
Tuesday 28
G asgow
I Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival: Russian Spectacular l{o_\al ('ont‘crl Hall. I Sauclnchall Slit-cl. 353 Hllllll, "a illpin. {I i [35. Hit |\;l\\lUIl. “lll'llllll and rornanu' ol Rll\\l;l l\ \ null} brought lo lilc Ill llll\ prograinnw ol (lawn \\llll llic llL'l} ISIS ()wrlurc ax a \lunning llllillt'. \Hlll llic RS.\'() and conduclor \cil ’l‘honipxon.
Edinburgh
I Panalba l<o_\al \luwuni ol Scotland. ('hanihcr Slrccl. l'rcc. (Lillpin. 'l‘hc axlonixlnngl) \ n'luoxic (lllU ol l.aur1c (ramp on all \ol‘l\ ol ru'onlcrx. \\lll\llL'\. prpc. labor and llkltllt' \\ nh lulu-l Agile} pla} in; llulc and kmlioanlx in an hour- Iong programmi- ol lllll\lt‘ lrorn llic l7lll and l.\'l|i t‘L‘llllll'lt‘\. In axxocialion \xilh l.i\c .\lu\rc \oul
Wednesday 29
Edinburgh
I Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival: Russian Spectacular
l‘xht‘r‘ llall. l.ollnan Road. 33‘ l I55. 7.30pm. l'lll £25. Scc Du‘ 2‘).
Glasgow
I Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival: Hogmanay Gala Ro}a| ('onccrl Hall. 3 Sauclnchall Slrccl. 353 Slllll). 7.3llpin. t'l.i £35. 'l‘hc RSNU bring in lhc nc“ )t'ar \\ llll conductor Nick
l)a\ rm and \opl'ano Roxalintl Sulhcrland in a PL‘I'lUl‘IllilllL‘C ol clavical and traditional llogrnana} lawnrilm lrorn \lcmlclxxohn'x IIr/n’ri/m ()i‘i'rmn' lo .lmuimu (irm'i' and I'lUH ('I‘ Hf Si l’llll’lll.
Edinburgh
I Candlelit Concert in the Cathedral St (iilcx' ('alhcilral. Ro}al Mlle. 4’3 Illllll. 7.30pm. L‘lh. .-\ iwrl‘orinancc h) candlelight ol' ('anlalax I & 3 iron] Radix (‘lrrnmrm ()I'ulorro and .\lo/al'l\ ('m'onulron .llun. 'l‘hc Scollixh linscrnhlc arc joincd h} the ('hoir M 81 (Film and .\la\lcr ol' .\lll\lL‘. \lit‘hacl llarrrx.
Edinburgh I Scottish Chamber Orchestra l'xhcr llall. l.olhian Road. 32* l I55. 7pm.
{7.50 [33.5”. NC“ \IL'lll..\ \icnncxc (‘onccrl from tho 8(1). l'caluring .-\u\lrian \\llll/C\ and polkax l'roni Slrauxs. ax \wll ax other \xork h) Saint-Sacnx. Maancl and Bcrliol.
98 THE LIST To Nov 305.:
1“ Jan .fiklf‘
l Alvlll Y Sl l()\.'.' RSNO: THE BEAR Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 17 Dec
If you’re searching for an ‘aaah’ factor for Christmas, then look no further than The Bear. All about a little girl and her magical friendship with a giant polar bear, it warms even the coolest of hearts. Set to music by Howard Blake - he of ‘Walking in the Air’ Snowman fame - the story is a favourite Raymond Briggs tale. The narrator, actor David Rintoul (best known for portraying Doctor Finlay in the ITV series of the same name) is accompanied by the RSNO as a live backing track to the film of The Bear. Unashamedly populist in appeal, The Bear does, however, represent a serious strand in the RSNO’s programming. ‘Isn’t it wonderful that we can have John Cage one week and Howard Blake the next?’ says the orchestra’s Chief Executive, Simon Crookall. ‘Part of the reason for the existence of an orchestra like ours is to offer as wide a variety of material as possible to as wide an audience as possible. These two types of programme
Glasgow
I Royal Scottish National Orchestra Ro)a| ('onccrl Hall. 3 Sauchichall Slit-cl. 353 Xllllll. Spin. Ro} (ioodman comluclx
Edinburgh
Tuesday 4
National Youth Orchestra of Scotland l'xhcr Hall. l.orhian Road. 22% l I55. 7.30pm. L'lll [l3
absolutely epitomise what our role should be.‘
That aside, there is economic reality to be faced too in orchestral programming these days. Something like The Snowman or The Bear will attract far larger audiences than John Cage, and concert halls have to be filled. ‘As well as balancing our work artistically,‘ says Crookall, ‘we have to balance what we are doing financially too.‘
It’s just as well that Crookall is so understanding of such reality, as from 1 January 2005 he is off to run the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, where there is no public subsidy to balance the books and high volume box office revenue is essential. ‘Of course they have a core classical series, but they also have a pop series, summer in the park concerts, kids events and Yuletide concerts which are fully produced, in costume, with the highlight being the routine of the tap-dancing Santas.‘ Among Crookall’s plans for his new job is getting the orchestra out on the international touring circuit. Good luck, Simon, and let’s hope the rest of the world is ready for the tap- dancing. (Carol Main)
Dundee
I Johann Strauss Gala (‘aml llall. ('il} Square. “1382 43-194”. ". illprn l'axourilc \kall/L'x anil polkax lioin lhc Slr‘aiixx lannl}. rcgrcalctl lll lllt‘ ulraxayangc and \plcnilour ol l‘illi ccnlur) \icnna. lualuring: lull ort'hcxlra
lhc RS.\'() ('horm in a pcrl'orrnancc M (£3
l l;lll(lt‘l\ .ll¢'\ \lil/l.
Glasgow
I Royal Scottish National Orchestra Ro}al (‘onccrl Hall. 3 Sauchichall Slit-cl. 353 Nllllll, “.Sllprn. |)a\id ('harlcx .-\hc|l conduclx a pcrlin‘rnancc ol' “all/ex. polkax and marches l'rorn lhc Slraim lillllll}.
Edinburgh
I Edinburgh Royal Choral Union: Messiah l'xhcr llall. l.olhian Road. 22.x ll55. noon. {Ill (33. 'l'hix )L'arK pcrl‘ormancc ol‘ llandcl'~ .lli‘niu/i l\ conduclctl h) Jou‘ph Cullen. and \\ lll oncc rnorc hc ioincd h} lhc ('alctlonran ('harnhcr ()r'clicxlra.
UH). ll‘x :ll\\;l}\ good in wt gradualm return to cclchralc lhcir \llL‘L'L‘\\ and hopcl'ull} inspire. l'in‘mcr' NYOS mcmlk‘rx (Barr) \Valkcr lconduclorl and ('olin ('urric lull” collislljoin lhc \YUS in lhcir annual NC“ Ycar concert. 'l'liix walk programme \\ ill includc lhc uorld prcinicrc ol‘ 'l'hca Miixgraw'x Howl. .llr'm/ and Skin. L'Ulllllll\\l0llctl h} .\'\'()S. and li'liaikox \k} \ l-r/I/I Syrup/rum.
Wednesday 5
Glasgow
National Youth Orchestra of Scotland Ro}al (’onccrl Hall. 3 Sauchichall Slrccl. 353 Kill)”. 7.30pm. ill) L'lh'lbz illll. SL'L'lllC-l.
and «lant'crx.
Helensburgh I Scottish Chamber Orchestra Victoria llallx. Silit'lilll' Slrccl. lll-i Vi
(F3375. "Lillprn. £750 £235“. SL'L' Sal l.
Thursday 6 _ Edinburgh
I Johann Strauss Gala l'xlicr llall. l.olhlan Road. 2:3 ll55 ". illpln. {Ill {24. SCL' “til 5.
St Andrews
I Scottish Chamber Orchestra Youngcr Hall. North Slrccl. ill “4 M8226. ~..5ll[)lli. (".50 {33.50. Su- Sal l.