Our December 2018 tour took us to Aberdeen for the first time, where we re-opened Aberdeen Music Hall after its multi-million pound refurbishment. Not many orchestras would relish the idea of playing on the street at 9am on a Saturday morning in December in Aberdeen (brrrr), but our musicians did so complete with the usual fun and energy. Opening the doors with a fanfare, the orchestra then ‘took over’ the building playing on the balconies, restaurant, foyer, and even on the stage.
One concert saw us collaborate with Sistema Scotland‘s Big Noise Torry, and performed alongside with these talented young musicians for their Christmas concert. We also performed at two Camphill venues, who cater for adults with learning disabilities – Newton Dee in Aberdeenshire and Ochil Tower School in Perthshire. One of our most moving performances was at Rachel House in Perthshire, a hospice for children and their families.
The other major event of this tour was performing at Social Bite’s Sleep in the Park, held each year to raise money and awareness of homelessness. Sharing the stage with KT Tunstall, Amy Macdonald and Eddie Reader, the orchestra performed to an enthusiastically cheering crowd. Afterwards, our intrepid musicians got out their sleeping bags, grabbed a hot chocolate a made themselves comfortable for a night outside in the park. In that vein we also gave a concert for our friends at the Glasgow Night Shelter, which assists destitute asylum seekers who have become homeless.
“Thanks for this. I was feeling really stressed before, and now I’m happier.
Service user, Glasgow Night Shelter
Music Hall Grand Reopening after 2 year renovation project.
Performances
| 05 December 2018 | 2100-2200 | Glasgow Night Shelter |
| 06 December 2018 | 1100-1150 | Nan Mackay Memorial Hall |
| 06 December 2018 | 1220-1250 | Silverburn Shopping Centre |
| 06 December 2018 | 1345-1430 | Ochil Tower School |
| 06 December 2018 | 1700-1745 | Perth City Centre |
| 07 December 2018 | 0915-1000 | Perth Grammar School |
| 07 December 2018 | 1100-1145 | Rachel House |
| 07 December 2018 | 1300-1330 | Dundee City Centre |
| 07 December 2018 | 1340-1350 | Dundee Marks and Spencer |
| 07 December 2018 | 1355-1410 | Wellgate Centre |
| 07 December 2018 | 1430-1445 | Olympia Pool |
| 07 December 2018 | 1600-1630 | Arbroath Tesco |
| 08 December 2018 | 0900-0930 | Aberdeen Music Hall Steps |
| 08 December 2018 | 0930-0935 | Aberdeen Music Hall Steps |
| 08 December 2018 | 0940-1000 | Aberdeen Music Hall Balcony |
| 08 December 2018 | 1020-1045 | Aberdeen Music Hall restaurant |
| 08 December 2018 | 1114-1145 | Aberdeen Christmas Market |
| 08 December 2018 | 1400-1500 | Aberdeen Music Hall with Sistema Scotland |
| 08 December 2018 | 1600-1630 | Aberdeen Music Hall restaurant |
| 08 December 2018 | 1800-1830 | Sleep in the Park |
| 09 December 2018 | 1000-1030 | Aberdeen Music Hall – stage |
| 09 December 2018 | 1100-1130 | Aberdeen Music Hall restaurant |
| 09 December 2018 | 1200-1230 | Aberdeen Music Hall restaurant |
| 09 December 2018 | 1600-1700 | Newton Dee Village |
Repertoire
| Romanian Dances | Béla Bartók |
| The Day Dawn | Sally Beamish |
| Symphony No. 5 (1st Movement) Let’s Face the Music and Dance Open Forms | Ludwig van Beethoven Irving Berlin (arr. Rossum) Earle Brown |
| Songs of Scotland | trad. arr. Gordon Cree The Doors |
| Light my Fire | Fiddlers Bid (arr. Nauta) Edward Greig |
| Da Scheck O’ Da Smaalie Morning, Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Relight my Fire | Dan Hartman |
| Symphony No. 45 (4th Movement) | Joseph Haydn |
| Black Sun Rotation | Nicholas Morrish |
| I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) El agua de la vida A-Train | The Proclaimers (arr. Cree) |
| Caravan | Juan Tizol (arr. Evers) |
| Africa | Toto (arr. Joey O’Neil) |
| Superfly | Treacherous Orchestra (arr. Bouma) Various |
| Once in Royal David’s City | arr. Tony Royse |
| O Come All Ye Faithful | arr. Tony Royse |
| O Little Town of Bethlehem | arr. Tony Royse |
| The First Nowell | arr. Tony Royse |
| Silent Night | arr. Tony Royse |
| Still, Glowing | Judith Weir |