VISI l INC) \JUCAi iSlS
SALLY MATTHEWS AND TOBY SPENCE
As Scotland’s various concert promoters revive themselves in the wake of the festive season, two organisations - totally coincidentally — choose to start the new year with stars from the younger generation of British singers. Tenor Toby Spence was unforgettable as the Madwoman in the Edinburgh International Festival’s 2005 production of Britten’s Curlew River. But while that remarkable stage appearance involved completely stripping off, an Edinburgh New Town Concerts Society programme of Beethoven, Brahms and Britten, especially in the winter season, is unlikely
to feature full frontal nudity.
At 31, Sally Matthews is five years younger than Spence, and also has Britten in her sights. Coincidence again as she appears with the SOD in his youthful Les Illuminations, for high voice and strings, which Spence recorded with the Scottish Ensemble just last year. While Spence’s ascent has been rooted in steady growth, at home and abroad, Matthews’ career rocketed after winning the highly prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award in 1999. Love them or loathe them — it’s mostly the latter —- competitions can be a vital factor in young artists establishing themselves in a highly competitive field. ‘It was a real gear change,‘ says Matthews, who had actually entered the competition simply for experience, with no intention of being placed. ‘Suddenly, lots of people wanted to hear me, Covent Garden
wanted me to audition. It was scary!’
Although awards such as the Ferrier can be a launching pad, there is endless hard work to follow. ‘There are no short cuts,’ says Matthew, ‘and it’s certainly not about Katherine Jenkins style glamour and making loads of money. You have to really push yourself and go for every opportunity — some of the best jobs I’ve ever got were ones I thought would be crap. But you never know who will be there watching and listening. You’ve just always got to do your very best.’ (Carol Main)
I loin Son/Tm). (Du ><>r":; Mill. [granny/git.
.4”? ‘.> \lti‘l). \)(!t/l‘. 'y/ltlt't.)(,".._() JR)
SCO. C)..t}t,=r":; Hall". l<i’~2.’>:/"51‘7. Thu ’6‘; Ja": (2.". / la-ls. (E'.'1:;g:'<>‘.'.'. Fl: 75) Jan.
Sally Matthest
35‘) 43h]. l..‘\(lpin. £5. (irah lhc chancc ln \ing _\oui' hcarl out in l’i'cnch at lhix choir group lnr all.
Thursday 1 1
Edinburgh
I Scottish Chamber Orchestra (‘)llL‘L‘ll‘\ llllll. 3-. h") (.lt‘l'l'x Sll't‘t‘l. (WK 3010. 7.30pm. LIN £34 1U» UM. .-\n c\cning ol’ Bach and Raincau \\ ith lhc 8(1). \cllxalinnal ll;tl'p\icllnl'tll\l liinnianucllc Hahn and \npl'alln Sandrinc l’iau.
Dundee
I Johann Strauss Gala (‘and Hall. ('it) Squarc. it] 383 434040. ' .30an [30 1‘4le Scc Sal (l.
Glasgow
I Lunchtime Concert: Aaron Shorr RS.\.\ll). lllll l~’.cnlrc\\ Sli'ccl. 333 5ll5". 1pm. £7 1L5 l. 'l'hc acadcni} \ ncu l_\
appoinlcd llcad nl Kc}hnard Sludicx gi\c\ hix inaugural rccilal \incc ai'l'i\ ing in (illlxgtm. pi‘cxcnling lllll\lt‘ h} lgor
Slim inxk} and (icnl'gc ('i'unih.
I Masterclass: Aaron Shorr RS.r\.\ll). lllll chll'c\\ Sti'ccl. 5 i3 505‘. 3.3llpin. l'rcc. lickclcd. .\llci‘nnnn Ill;l\lt‘l'L‘lil\\ \\ ilh lhc acadcin} '\ ncu l} appoinch llcad nl Kc) hoard Sludicx.
I Scottish Chamber Orchestra ('il} llallx. (‘andlci‘iggx 353 Nllllll, ". 5llplll. {Ill £33,5llit75ll L'lo..\‘lli. Scc 'l'hu ll.
Stirling
I Mr McFalI’s Chamber 'l‘nlltnnlll. .lail \\}lltl. ill".\(i 3‘4llllll, hlllll. L' lll it'h'l. lhc tar-out lllll\lL' group. lnrnicd around a cnrc \lring quailcl lrnin llic Scollixh (‘hanihci‘ ()i‘chcxlra. prcparc ln puxh hack Inni'c lllll\lL‘;ll ltillllltlill'lt‘\.
Glasgow I RSAMD YouthWorks Music Preview Day RS \.\ll). Inn lx’t-nli't-u
Slrccl. 333 5057. l lain. l-‘rcc. .-\ da) l‘or proxpcctn c \tudcntx and lhcir guardianx lo lind out inorc ahoul RS.-\.\ll) l'uu/lillinlx. .\lu\ic at lhc acadcnt}. \xilh lhc nppnl‘ltlllll} tn allcnd rchcai'xalx. claucx and \\tll'l\\llll[t\ and inch currcnl \lal'l‘ and ~tndcnlx. chixlratinn li‘oni 10.30am.
I Get High on Your Voice! Slralhclulc l‘nhcrxit}. 548 3444. 3 5pm. L'" iL'S £5 l. Billllxll lllc \\ inlcr hlucx \\llll an all natural dnxc ot' cndnrphinx rcli‘ \cd h} lllt‘jn} nl' participating in thix \in vg \xorkxhnp lcd It} .r\lan 'l'a\cncr and \l' gcrx ll‘tllll ('appclla .\'n\a.
I Raymond Gubbay Festive Season: Johann Strauss Gala l{tl};ll ('nnccrl Hall. 3 Silllk‘lllt‘llilll Sll‘L‘L‘l. 55.5 soon. 3pm tk 7.30pm. [l5 £30.50. Scc Sal (l.
Edinburgh
I Georgian Concert Society St ('ccilia\ Hall. ('ougalc. (ioh’ 3(lI‘). 7.45pm. U350 il.‘).5(l/L'5i. In a pi‘ngi'aininc dc\nlcd c\clu\i\cl_\ ln lhc lllll\lL' nl~ .lS Bach. lhc i‘cctntl} lorincd duo ol' Bach c\pcl‘l\ Sophic Yalcx \ iolin. and li‘ingai‘d Schallcr. harpxichnrd. \\ ill pla} l\\n \nnala\ lngcthcr. and thc (lll'ullllllli' lint/mm um/ l’uzut' Illl'l' (ll/9’ l'or \nln harpxichnrd and lhc l) minor l’urmir lnr \nln \iolin.
Linlithgow
I Steven Osborne and Jean Johnson St Michacl\ l);ll'l\ll ('hurch. Kil‘kgzilc', lll5(l(i N44 ()45. 7.30pm. [7 lb;- ‘UH. 'l'hc lirxl l.inlilhgou .r\rt\ (iuild cnnccrl Ul- 3llll7 \L‘L‘\ SIL‘H‘H ()xltnl‘llc :llltl .lcan ,lnllllxnn pcrt'orniing Schuniann'x I'iirilmii'xlln'kc. Bl'ahlnx' ('ltlrini'l Stimuli illlkl Sk‘lllllk‘l'l'\ l’lillln Swim/(l Nu
Glasgow
I Organ Recital Kch ingrn\ c All (iallcr} tk .\lll\t‘lllll. .-\i‘g}lt‘ Strccl. 3"n 050‘). 3.30 3pm tk 3.30 4pm. l-‘rcc. lille‘ a \cal in thc inuxcuni‘x nlagniliccntl) l't‘\ltll't‘tl CL‘llll'L‘ llllll illltl L‘llln) \tllllL‘ “ontlci'tul lllll\lL‘ at onc nt' lhc niuxcunh Sunda} l’ronicnadc conccrlx. 'l'hix month \\llll .\lnl‘lt'_\ \Vllllt‘llctltl.
I Raymond Gubbay Festive Season: Johann Strauss Gala Rt)}tll (’nnccl'l Hall. 3 Sauchichall Slrccl. .555 Xllllll. 3pm. {l5 £30.50. Scc Sal (i.
Glasgow
I Paragon Ensemble (illlllnl‘cllilK i l 2. ‘) l'iii\ci\it_\ .-\\cnuc. Bl) 5533. \'pin. U3 (£5 to). (lair) \Valkcr conduclx thix programinc nl' inuxic cclchraling thc hii'thda} ol Marlin l.ulhcr King. \\llll l.ilciann Bcrin'x () King and I'D/l Souux. a ncu \xnrk h} liduard .\lc(iuirc and a [‘L‘l'ltll'lllilllt‘c It} )nung lllll\lt‘lilll\ l'rnni lh‘untchapcl High School.
Edinburgh
I Toby Spence with Julian Milford QllL‘CllK Hall. 37 h") (‘lt‘l'lx Sll'L‘L‘l. “()3 3(ll‘). 7.45pm. L") L'lT. Rising opcra \lal‘ Spcncc l\ inincd ll) pianixl \llll'nl'tl lnl' il l‘L‘l‘l-Ul'lllilllt't‘ Ul llL‘cllli“ L‘ll.\ .lll i/lt' I'll/Iv (ii'Ili'Illt SL‘llllltt‘l'IK (ri‘ulllg'i' i/i'\ l/tll'llll’lW /. 3 and 5‘. Brahinx‘ .lm Sort/mtg .llnrgi'n: .ln ('lllt' li'i/iln’n.‘ .Vt'i'inxlrr/il.‘ llicci'n/ii’t/ and .‘l/N'Ill/{llllllllll rim: and Briltcn\
.l/lt /li'/tIIIL'¢'/il Still/It'l‘.
Tuesday 1 6
Glasgow
I Rush Hour Concert: RSAMD Chamber Orchestra RS.\.\ll). lllll chl'rcu Slrcct. 333 505". 5.30pm. L5. lhc lll'xl conccrl nl lliL‘ )cai' \L‘c\ l.ill/ Kohlcr conducting lhc nrchcxlra in a pci'l'nrinancc ol' .\ln/.u'l\ llmwon
('um (711‘. and \Vagncr'x .S'n'qlrn (I /r/\’//. \\llll .\ln/ai'l ('nnccrln (‘oinpclilinn
\\ innci'. Victoria Scott.
Edinl;)urgh
I Edinburgh Quartet Rcitl (‘oncci'i llall. lidinhurgh l'nhcrxil). lll'l\lll Sduarc.
:3 National Youth Orchestra of Scotland: New Year Concert What a way to start the year. Almost 100 of the cream of the country's young musical talent show what can be done after their winter residential course. Roya/ Concert Hall, Glasgow. Thu 4 Jan.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra: New Year in Vienna Who needs to take a climate—changing air journey. when you can sample a Viennese New Year in the heart of Scotland? There's even an extra cosmopolitan twist to this year’s celebration as Paris seems set to get a bit of a look in too. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 5 Jan.
050 3437. l.l(lpin. 'l'hc quartct lrcat tlx to lunchtimc rcndilions nt‘ llzi}'tli1'\ .S'Iritlt' Quurli'l in If ()pux .54 .Vu .t' and (ial'x String Quiu‘li'l No 4 ()p ‘1‘) l I‘lT'I l.
Kilmarnock
I Essential Scottish Opera 2007 l’alacc 'l'hcalrc. U (irccn Slrccl. 01505 554 000. 7.30pm. £8.50 it'7l. .\ \uhlinic \clcclion ol' opcratic highlighu taking in man} tainnux arias. pci'l'orincd h) l‘nur \ingci‘x and a pianist. Watch out for lllll\lL‘ from Iowa. 'l'ln' [fur/tn o/ .S‘i'i'il/t' and Rico/run. ldcal tor alicinnadm and nc\\cnincr\ alikc.
Wednesday 1 7
Glasgow
I The Mikado King's 'l‘hcali'c. 307' Bath Sll'cct. 0870 ()(1ll ()(t—lh’. 7.30pm. £5 U4. 'l'hc ()l'pllL‘llx (‘luh rclurnx \\ ith an updach inodcrn production of thc most popular ol all lhc (iilhcrt and Sullnan opcrax. dii'cclcd h} \Vallcr Paul and \\ ith ncu .\lu\ical l)ircctnr Andrcu \lL’tll.
Thursday 18
Glasgow - The Mikado Klllg‘3x .lillt'illl'L‘. 3‘)?
Bath Sll‘ct‘l. “870 “(ill (\(t-lh'. ’..5llplll. [5 [ll SCL‘ \Vt‘tl l7.
Edinburgh
I Scottish Chamber Orchestra ()uccn'x llllll. 3-,. h") (‘lL‘l'k Sll'ct‘l. (ihh’ 3(llll. 7.30pm. £8 [34 (to film. l'.ll_ln} thc lllll\lt' ol~ .\lo/arl. .\lcndcl\\nhn and Bi‘illcn \\ ilh lhc S('(). \npl‘alln Sall} .\lallllc\\\ and pianist .-\ndrc\\ l.illnn.
Glenrothes
I Essential Scottish Opera 2007 l\)tllllt‘\ ll;lll\. Kingdom ('cnli‘c. (H503 (ll l llll. 7.30pm. £0.5n it‘h’i. Scc 'l‘uc lli.
“4 .. THE LIST 73