Read all the latest press coverage below:

Levin plays Mozart

"Visceral insight and energy lit every inch of Schubert’s Symphony No 2, and with it a flamboyant end to a boisterous concert and the main SCO season." **** The Scotsman Read review

"...staggering in its revelatory qualities." ***** The Herald Read review

"...the orchestra set off at a cracking pace with a precise, crisp sound, emphasising how accomplished the musicians are in creating a symphonic sound." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"...[Levin's] improvisations and accompaniments seem to be creating the music fresh before our ears." MusicWeb International Read review

Beethoven Seven

"An impassioned, tour de force performance." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"It’s strange to think that Beethoven’s Symphony No7 is two centuries old – especially as it has never sounded so fresh or modern as in this thrilling performance by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra." **** The Scotsman Read revew

"Goerner, with poetic and technical mastery, in tandem with Krivine and the SCO at their best, produced an electrifyingly immediate account of the concerto..." ***** The Herald Read review

Britten 100: II

"The performance of the Britten was heart-stopping, unfailing in its perception of mood and atmosphere..." ***** The Herald Read revew

"...an elegantly sculpted performance..." **** The Guardian Read review

"...thrillingly executed..." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

"Having been left on a high by Suckling’s questing final peroration, we were kept there by a performance of Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings that had something quite magical about it." **** Financial Times Read review

Chamber Concert

"...magnificently life-affirming, glowing with vivid colours and alive with crackling energy." **** The Scotsman Read review

Sinfonia Concertante

"...the SCO...with its former leader and frequent guest leader, violinist Alexander Janiczek, produced playing on Friday night, on all scales, that was a testament to the expertise, experience and international reputation of this orchestra..." **** The Herald Read review

"...visceral magic from the SCO, a self-generated electricity that feeds performances with a sense of immediacy, even an element of danger, as players engage actively with each other." **** The Scotsman Read review

Ticciati conducts Berlioz

"...Ticciati’s abundance of intensely focused energy played its every nuance..." **** The Scotsman Read review

"...Robin Ticciati's stylish, understated and economic direction, which eschews exaggerated expression, magnetically draws the ear to the music rather than its presentation." ***** The Herald Read review

"Soloist Antoine Tamestit produced cantabile lines of Italianate warmth and figures of wraithlike otherworldliness..." ***** The Independent Read review

Das Lied von der Erde

"[Karen Cargill's] entire performance was molten and radiant, feeding the final spent moments with a spellbound intensity." **** The Scotsman Read review

"...the players had a real swagger in their playing...and principal oboe Robin Williams in particular had a magnificent night." ***** The Herald Read review

"...some of the most thrilling Mahler playing I have heard in years." MusicWeb International Read review

"Toby Spence gave a superlative performance, his voice effortlessly rising above the music." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"Credit...goes to conductor Robin Ticciati for his perfect all-round interpretation." Dundee Courier Read review

"This was happy, boisterous music-making: the punchy opening chords glowed with blithe confidence; the fast movements sparkled with daring, dynamic energy; the sound of the orchestra was rounded and robust." **** The Guardian Read review

Goerne sings Schubert

"...a spine-tingling final Erlkönig, whose supernatural night-time chase [Matthias Goerne] conveyed in a terrifyingly intense performance, driven on by Ticciati’s surging accompaniment." **** The Scotsman Read review

"This was a truly thrilling performance by Goerne and the SCO." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

Nelson Mass

"...the sheer ebullience of [Ádám Fischer's] music-making shone through in every bar. The orchestra achieved a sound that was full-bodied and muscular while retaining a lightness that buoyed up each phrase..." MusicWeb International Read review

"...Fischer's subtle mastery really shone through." **** The Herald Read review

"...a truly gripping performance topped by four excellent vocal soloists." ***** Bachtrack.com Read review

Anderszewski plays Mozart

"It was a kind of collective daring, an all-or-nothing commitment and sense of shared responsibility that is rare to get from orchestras." ***** The Guardian Read review

"[Piotr Anderszewski] has to be one of the finest Mozart interpreters around with his ability to make subtle changes in tone and phrasing that are both profound and intoxicating." **** The Scotsman Read review

"The audience went ga-ga..." *** The Herald Read review

"Anderszewski’s playing was a marvel of musicality and life." MusicWeb International Read review

"...Anderszewski played it to perfection." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"The performance was elegant and rousing by turns with lovely flute and oboe contributions from Alison Mitchell and Robin Williams respectively." **** Backtrack.com Read review

"...Janiczek's direction of the SCO strings lost nothing of the music's fiery intensity and drama and was a performance that was, to say the least, invigorating." Dundee Courier Read review

A Little Book of Monsters

"Singing from memory and with ringing clarity, [the Edinburgh Primary Schools' Choir] could have taught many of their adult counterparts a thing or two as they merrily sang their stories of man-eating changing cubicles and cannibal creatures." **** The Scotsman Read review

MacMillan Oboe Concerto

"The Scottish Chamber Orchestra was on especially impressive form, getting right to the heart of the music as scaled-back groups often can. The minute attention to detail throughout made this a particularly exciting evening." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

"Leleux's performance was mesmerising..." **** The Scotsman Read review

"The concerto shows MacMillan at his very best, shifting fluently between evocative soundscapes and shot through with moments of haunting beauty." **** The Guardian Read review

"...startling heights of electric performance..." ***** The Herald Read review

"James MacMillan's Oboe Concerto is the perfect vehicle for [François Leleux] and his dazzling performance was like one long cadenza, full of marvellous virtuosity." Dundee Courier Read review

"...a peerless performance..." Perthshire Advertiser Read review

Romantic Century

"Watkin's beautiful performance...exquisitely characterised the intimacy of the music of this most individual of Romantic composers." **** The Herald Read review

"Apart from the loveliness of the sound what struck me was the power in this relatively small ensemble - so much more than the sum of the parts." ***** Bachtrack.com Read review

"As well as showcasing a great conductor, this evening was more proof of the gold that the SCO holds within its own ranks." MusicWeb International Read review

"The star turn was SCO principal cellist David Watkin, soloist in Schumann's Cello Concerto." The Observer Read review

The Little C Major

"...a sparkling, wonderfully-coloured and characterised performance of Schubert's Sixth Symphony, one of those SCO performances where the musicians (and Egarr) just breathe new and ever-more stylish life into the music." *** The Herald Read review

"Egarr and the orchestra were clearly revelling in the thrill of sharing a new discovery..." MusicWeb International Read review

The Great C Major

"But really the night belonged to the astonishing Swiss-Italian pianist Francesco Piemontesi for his dazzling and amazingly fleet performance of Mendelssohn's First Piano Concerto, one of those rare performances that reveals the mastery and genius of a composition and asks why we hear the piece so infrequently." **** The Herald Read review

"[Francesco Piemontesi's] talents really came to the fore in the lyrical andante where he basked in the honeyed glow of the cello and viola accompaniment." **** The Scotsman Read review

New Year in Vienna

"...one of the best Viennese New Year concerts I have attended." Dundee Courier Read review

"Rösner conducted with authority and the SCO responded with sparkling and energetic playing." Perthshire Advertiser Read review

Weber Wind Concertos

"...the night belonged to principal clarinettist Maximiliano Martin for a genuinely extraordinary performance of Weber's First Clarinet Concerto, one which scaled the precipitous heights and lovely depths of the instrument..." **** The Herald Read review

"...a beautifully crafted performance of Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F, full of humour...and with a glorious singing tone..." **** The Scotsman Read review

"[Conductor Pablo González's] Egmont overture was taut and exciting, controlled with a keen ear for the unfolding drama and bristling with an almost volcanic intensity." MusicWeb International Read review

Pizarro plays Beethoven

"...the fabulous pianist Artur Pizarro delivered an account of Beethoven's Second Piano Concerto with grace, effortless fluidity, and yards of wit and charm that would melt ice: and that performance was near-perfection, possessing such lucidity that it was a life-affirming experience." **** The Herald Read review

"...Pizarro succeeded in playing the single note cadenza with such sweetness, it was a delight to listen to." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"[Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 2's] outer movements exude joyful youth and, during this opening, Pizarro’s fingers bounced off the keys as though to testify to his light touch." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

"The orchestra’s occasionally curt tone was balanced by lovely solo legato from Artur Pizarro, whose fingers seemed to glide over the keyboard as if to caress it, and he produced a correspondingly silky sound." MusicWeb International Read review

Choral Romance

"The SCO chorus, under the direction of their choirmaster Gregory Batsleer, were in superb voice with perfect German enunciation." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"...Austrian baritone Markus Werba sang with compelling presence, none of the original Brahms altered, but its lyrical resonance amplified by Glanert’s beautifully crafted concept." **** The Scotsman Read review

"...a fascinating programme with a twist." *** The Herald Read review

SCO at the Barbican

"...ear-catching results." Classical Source Read review

"The play of colours increased further in the Beethoven. Phrasings, dynamics, modes of attack: everything appeared freshly considered." *** The Times Read review

"...ensemble playing of unusual refinement, and Ticciati's flowing conducting allowed the music to breathe deeply." **** The Guardian Read review

European Tour

"That precision, applied to a bold account of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, was nothing less than a revelation." **** The Herald Read review

"You couldn't believe your ears at such true expression." ***** De Telegraaf Read review

Swensen Conducts the 'Rhenish'

"...as full-bodied and red-blooded as it was suave and expressive." **** The Herald Read review

Musical Magicians

"Conductor Baldur Brönnimann and the orchestra brought this magical fairy-tale world to life with a spell-binding performance." *** The Scotsman Read review

"With both the Swiss Piano Trio and the SCO in hyper-alert and responsive form through the concerto's eight short breathtaking movements, Cresswell's new concerto bounded off the page." *** The Herald Read review

"What Cresswell captures so well, though, is the SCO's innate elegance. And that's what the Swiss conductor Baldur Brönniman brought out in the rest of the programme, too." **** The Guardian Read review

The Romantic Age

"...electrifying; one of the young conductor's finest achievements with this amazing band." ***** The Herald Read review

"[The Romantic Age is] an era that conductor Robin Ticciati is making increasingly his own. And how well his precise, yet energetic approach suits it, as do the subtly glowing sounds he draws from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra." **** The Scotsman Read review

"It was the best performance I have ever heard of [Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto]..." ***** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"[Ticciati] brought freshness and vigour to the score, blowing off the cobwebs and shining a searchlight through the texture to reveal things that you had forgotten were there." MusicWeb International Read review

"The SCO and Beethoven's Eroica is one of the most rewarding and irresistible combinations in classical music and always a winner." Dundee Courier Read review

Cosí fan tutte

"...sublime playing from the orchestra under conductor Robin Ticciati." **** The Telegraph Read review

"The woodwind glowed, with parping basslines from bassoons and flutes bubbling seductively, and the strings were gloriously silvery, all subtly responsive to Ticciati’s energetic direction." **** The Scotsman Read review

"The SCO Chorus was on outstanding form, and the evenly matched cast was of recording quality." **** The Financial Times Read review

"Maltman, a youngish “old philosopher”, gives a consummate performance, relishing the text and gliding through the music as if he has been singing it for a lifetime." The Sunday Times Read review

"...with Ticciati’s enthusiasm, energy, and obvious rapport with all the performers one can, as the tenor Maximilian Schmitt remarked, ‘look into the musical soul of the piece.’ And that is exactly what Ticciati achieved." **** Edinburgh Guide Read review

"Released from the pit, it’s even easier to hear how sensational the SCO are in this music. Ticciati pared down the orchestra almost to the minimum...and achieved an effect of transparency so intense that each aspect of the score rang with new clarity and shine." MusicWeb International Read review

Autumn Classics

"...the orchestra, most particularly conductor Joshua Weilerstein, looked and sounded like they were having the time of their lives." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

Virgin Money Fireworks Concert

"...a dazzlingly varied series of synchronized musical and visual effects." **** Edinburgh Evening News Read review

"Vaughan Williams’s understated Greensleeves Fantasia drew radiant playing from the SCO strings, and subtle verdant glows from the castle ramparts provided an evocative accompaniment." ***** The Scotsman Read review

SCO at the Edinburgh International Festival

"One of the joys of live performance is seeing the embodiment of the music in players and conductors. Rather than beating, Robin Ticciati seemed to be reaching into the orchestra to tease sensitive phrasing from his players." **** Bachtrack.com Read review

"...Ticciati reached that brief, wonderful moment where the sun suddenly shines on the music and it just blossoms. If you weren’t there to hear it you will never believe the glorious romantic gush that welled up from the SCO." ***** The Herald Read review

"Ticciati moulded supple and sinuous lines of melody..." **** The Times Read review

"Conductor Robin Ticciati’s interpretation was as astute as the Orchestra’s delivery was excellent." Dundee Courier Read review

"...profoundly moving performance by conductor Robin Ticcati...curiously life-affirming." The Scotsman Read review

"...Ticciati conducted the whole work like a slowly unravelling psycho-drama." MusicWeb International Read review

CD: Weber Wind Concertos

"...played with disarming, thrilling ease..." ***** SA-CD.net Read review

"...this album of Weber’s wind music from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra has something for every music lover." Classic FM Read review

"There must have been astonishing wind players in early 19th-century Germany. And after hearing the irresistible concertos that Carl Maria von Weber penned for them, one can imagine what moody, flamboyant characters they were." **** The Times Read review

"...unceasingly characterful performances..." The Herald Read review

"...the performances by hornist Frank-Gemmill and bassoonist Whelen are all they should be: dashing, comic when called for, virtuosic..." *** Audiophile Audition Read review

Summer Classics

"Their taut, vivid account [of Prokofiev’s Symphony No 1] brought out the composer’s quirky harmonic and rhythmic twists..." **** The Scotsman Read review

"An encore was obligatory, and [Martín] obliged with a piece that showed off his excellent technique and ability to perfection...I had not heard Bela Kovaks' Homage to Manuel de Falla before, but if Martín's going to play it again, I want to be there." Dundee Courier Read review

"[Martín's] theatrical approach to concerto playing and his stunning technical virtuosity make him a show-stopping soloist." Nairnshire Telegraph Read review

A Midsummer Night's Dream

"...immensely profound and deeply moving..." ***** The Herald Read review

"The Wedding March was the ideal vehicle for crisp fanfares from the brass and sparkling suppleness from the strings." **** The Scotsman Read review

"Under Norrington the Scherzo was slightly slower than usual, but more rhythmically alive, with detail and true charm, not to forget the menacing crescendo." Perthshire Advertiser Read review

Highlands II

"Berger revelled in the theatricality of [Cimarosa's Il Maestro di Cappella], portraying the maestro trying to conduct an unruly orchestra, and proving that it has lost none of its capacity to amuse 220 year on." **** The Herald Read review

The Music of Mozart

"...the results were remarkable..." **** The Herald Read review

CD: Symphonie Fantastique

"[Robin Ticciati] has been at the helm of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra since 2009, and this first collaboration on disc captures all the energy, the finesse and the sheer panache with which he invests his live concerts." ***** The Telegraph Read review

"Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique is delivered with a febrile, knife-edge energy." The Times Read review

"It is an awesome performance." The Herald Read review

"...this is altogether a performance that has been thought through as an organic entity, a broad, vivid tableau in which images are sharply focused." Gramophone Magazine Read review

"It all sounds fresh and potent in Ticciati's hands, with the SCO players giving their all..." NPR Read review

"...Ticciati brings such special and apt emphasis to so many hidden things in the orchestration..." ***** Audiophile Audtion Read review

"In a work usually played by over-upholstered big bands, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s leaner, crisper sound is a breath of fresh air." TheArtsDesk.com Read review

 

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