Since the pandemic began, Scotland’s award-winning string orchestra, Scottish Ensemble (SE) has been treating audiences to an array of digital content. With the appointment of three new board members by their Chair Samantha Barber, their aim is to continue their commitment to reaching new audiences and promoting mental wellbeing well into the future by innovative means.
The three new appointees are CEO & Co-Founder of Encore, James McAulay, who studied cello in Glasgow; deputy chair of London-based Lankelly Chase foundation, Morag Burnett, who is originally from Aberdeen, and Head of Policy, Projects and Participation for Children in Scotland, Edinburgh born Amy Woodhouse.
Together, these new appointments will draw on their expertise from the fields of digital technology, mental health, young people, tackling social disadvantage, strategy and governance that will help the Ensemble to continue to innovate at a time of ongoing uncertainty and change.
Chair of SE, Samantha Barber said “We are truly delighted to welcome Amy, Morag and James to the Scottish Ensemble board. Together they bring skills and experience that we know to be of utmost importance as we enter 2021. These new appointments and all that they represent in terms of knowledge and know-how will enable us to remain resilient and continue innovating in the way for which we have become known. I know that all of my colleagues on the board and across the organisation will join me in wishing them a warm welcome; we look forward to their input and to exploring new ideas and perspectives over the coming year.”
With the new board members in the role of ‘matches’ and Chief Executive Jenny Jamison going on maternity leave in March (with William Norris of William Norris Arts Management stepping into her role) as ‘hatches’, the ‘dispatches’ comes in the form of the retiral of Lesley Paterson who retires in 2021 after over 14 years in various roles throughout the organisation. William Norris’s previous work has explored innovative concert formats and also looked at ways to reach new audiences so will be a welcome member to the SE team.
SE is also committed to expanding the string repertoire, with recent commissions including new works from John Tavener, James MacMillan, Sally Beamish, Martin Suckling and Anna Meredith.
Irene Brown
