MUSIC | CLASSICAL C L A S S I C A L
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ORCHESTRA THE GLASGOW BARONS Govan and Linthouse Parish Church, Glasgow, Fri 19 Apr; Govan Old Parish Church, Glasgow, Fri 31 May, Thu 20 Jun
What’s next when you’ve started an orchestra from scratch in a war zone, and then successfully toured internationally? You write a book about it, of course. All of the above was achieved by Scottish conductor Paul MacAlindin whose Upbeat: The Story of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was featured on both Radio 4 and at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. But what to do after that? Never one for the predictable, MacAlindin returned to Scotland, and settled in Govan where, as in Iraq, he’s given the community its own orchestra.
‘The simple idea’, he says, ‘is that I am creating an orchestra
out on my doorstep.’ Although that sounds straightforward, The Glasgow Barons – the name comes from the old Govan shipbuilding owners – is much more complex and reaches right into the heart of a seriously deprived area. The 2019 season features the core orchestra, but also brings
local hip hoppers together with a 12-piece instrumental ensemble. Songs of Govan Old is a project which commissions new songs alongside the Govan Reminiscence Group, and Musicians in Exile involves refugee musicians singing in Kurdish, Arabic and Farsi. MacAlindin also brings local spaces to life through music.
‘There are a number of spaces which are right for putting on concerts,’ he says. Govan Old Parish Church has been tested, and a new piece by Alasdair Nicolson has been commissioned to celebrate the church's medieval Govan Stones. ‘I walked into Govan and Linthouse Parish Church, fresh from refurbishment, and thought that there’s nothing better than putting on the “St John Passion” here in Holy Week.’ Engaging with the parish minister and congregation, it’s an event which will be a performance in the format that Bach intended, so it will also be a religious service including a sermon and hymn singing by all. (Carol Main)
CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS
HITLIST
SUNDAY CLASSICS: ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 7 Apr, usherhall.co.uk Pinchas Zuckerman brings the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to Edinburgh with Beethoven’s monumental Violin Concerto and two other orchestral favourites, Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. TECTONICS GLASGOW City Halls and Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Sat 4 & Sun 5 May, glasgowconcerthalls.com A feast of international and local artists, composers and performers, from classical, experimental, rock, sound art, dance and visual art, curated by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s principal guest conductor Ilan Volkov and Alasdair Campbell of Counterflows.
GLASGOW EDINBURGH
SCOTTISH OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE Theatre Royal, Sat 4, Wed 8, Fri 10, Sun 12, Tue 14, Sat 18 May, atgtickets.com/venues/ theatre-royal-glasgow/ Impossible not to enjoy Sir Thomas Allen’s effervescent – and five star – production of Mozart favourite, The Magic Flute. Comedy, fantasy and pantomime combine in the opera’s search for wisdom, love and truth. Watch out for rising star soprano Julia Sitkovetsky hitting the high notes as Queen of the Night. Also Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 5, Sun 9, Tue 11, Thu 13, Sat 15 Jun. BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA City Halls, Fri 17 May, glasgowconcerthalls.com/city- halls One of the 20th century’s most brilliant showpieces, Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra is studded with the rhythms and folk melodies of his native Hungary. Putting it alongside Brahms’ Piano Concerto No 1 makes for a particularly vibrant concert, especially with the great Elizabeth Leonskaja in the solo role.
NYOS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 12 Apr, usherhall.co.uk For the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, life doesn’t begin at 40, but very much began 40 years ago when this brilliant national youth orchestra and associated ensembles were founded. For their celebratory concerts, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is top of the bill, along with Rachmaninov’s wonderfully expressive Piano Concerto No 3 and soloist Steven Osborne. Elim Chan conducts. Also Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 13 April. SCO 18/19: BERLIOZ SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE & FAURÉ REQUIEM Usher Hall, Thu 9 May, usherhall.co.uk A passionate celebration of France brings the SCO’s season to a close, with French conductor Emmanuel Krivine in a very French programme of music, from Witches Sabbath and Berlioz’s vision of hell in his Symphonie Fantastique to the
104 THE LIST 1 Apr–31May 2019
Thømas Sondergård
gentle, intimate radiance of the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré. Also City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 10 May. RSNO: SØNDERGÅRD CONDUCTS BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST Usher Hall, Fri 13 May, usherhall. co.uk What a way to end Thomas Søndergård’s first season as RSNO music director. The orchestra performs not just one Belshazzar’s Feast, but two, Søndergård pairing Sibelius orchestral suite with the more familiar Walton cantata for orchestra, baritone solo and chorus, both pieces based on the same biblical story. Also Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 1 Jun.