Scottish Ensemble (SE), a pioneering collective of musicians who champion music for strings, announces its 2024-25 season of events. Exploring the power and breadth of musical experience, SE’s 2024-25 season will take audiences on a bold adventure with new ideas and collaborations and the return of the ever-popular Concerts by Candlelight and Concerts for a Summer’s Night tours.
Collaborating with creative minds to blur the boundaries between genres and artforms is a hallmark of S E. In The Law of Gravity they collaborate with master puppeteer Mark Down and his team at Blind Summit, a cohort of puppet makers and puppeteers, who have contributed to the creation of some of the most extraordinary spectacles of recent years, to explore what puppetry can reveal about music. Their successes range from the giant storybook characters in the opening ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympic Games to critically acclaimed productions of War Horse and Pinocchio.
Performances of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3, will breathe life into the puppet, fleetingly revealing the composer’s intentions, ambitions and ideas.
Following a memorable performance during Celtic Connections 2024, Donald Grant and SE again join forces to revel in the joy of making music together. Featuring traditional and contemporary string music that bridges genres and tells of life in the Highlands, through Donald’s new work Thuit an Oidhche Oirnn (The Night Overtook Us).
The season begins with Resound, an intimate guided listening experience that journeys through five centuries of mind-expanding music. Curated by S E’s violist Andrew Berridge the works performed will explore how music can transport and inspire. Resound complements S E’s Music for Wellbeing programme and 2024-25 will see the continuation of a long-term partnership with Maggie’s Centres and further partnerships with schools across Scotland to support mental health.
S E has a proven track record of commissioning works from a new generation of composers and during this year’s Concerts by Candlelight tour performs the world premiere of a new work by Hannah Kendall whose music has been performed across the world. This marks the second composition supported by S E’s Calder Commissioning Fund, created through a transformative donation, made in memory of S E’s late founder John Calder.
S E’s work with a new generation of musicians also continues with its Young Artists programme, in partnership with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. As well as supporting talented young string players through a week-long residency in January, selected Young Artists are offered the opportunity to join one of the ensemble’s Scottish tours as a performer in 2025.
Singer and composer Héloïse Werner features as both soloist and composer in Concerts for a Summer’s Night when words and music will fill the air in a vibrant end to the season in light-filled venues across Scotland.
S E also heads to London to perform at the opening weekend of the Southbank Centre’s classical season, with a dynamic programme, that includes Philip Glass’ meditative Symphony No. 3 and explores new musical paths and connections. in Sync, the acclaimed collaboration with Mish Mash Productions, also heads south with performances at the Southbank Centre and Nottingham. Further events in Scotland include a special project with Sonica at the Burrell Collection and a concert as part of RCS’s Fridays at One lunchtime series.
For full details visit https://scottishensemble.co.uk/whats-on/
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 