SCO announces 2019/20 season with new principal conductor Maxim Emelyanychev

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has announced its season for 2019/20, the first with new principal conductor Maxim Emelyanychev (pictured).

The season opens in September 2019 with conductor François Leleux directing the orchestra in Brahms and Dvořák, joined by pianist Javier Perianes, performing Brahms’ First Piano Concerto. This year the SCO also celebrates Beethoven’s 250th birthday with a Complete Symphony Cycle split over four concerts, and a special event exploring Beethoven’s musical creativity despite a tormented life.

More highlights include:

• Violinist Pekka Kuusisto as featured artist for 2019/20, bringing his fresh approach over three concerts to the music of Bach, Haydn, Beethoven and Sibelius
• Newly appointed SCO associate composer Anna Clyne reveals her first commission from the SCO alongside her Grammy nominated work Prince of Clouds
• Many of Scotland’s most distinguished artists join the orchestra including mezzo-sopranos Karen Cargill and Catriona Morison, percussionist Colin Currie and violinist Nicola Benedetti
• Performances from world-class international soloists and conductors including violinist Carolin Widmann, who will join Emelyanychev making her SCO debut with Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto
• A celebration of the Queen’s Hall in its 40th year with pianist Piotr Anderszewski performing Haydn’s Keyboard Concerto in D and Schumann’s Piano Concerto

Emelyanychev said: ‘I am very happy to be principal conductor, and am greatly inspired by the two SCO productions I have been involved with so far, making fantastic collaborations with these excellent musicians. In this, my first full season, we will share you with a variety of interesting and diverse programmes from the Baroque to modern music written just a few years ago. That they are also from a range of countries will show off the many different genres and styles of the SCO.’

Former royal harpist Catrin Finch keeps promise to festival after recovering from cancer

World renowned harpist Catrin Finch, who was forced to pull out of a major festival last year due to battling breast cancer, is keeping her promise to perform at this year’s event instead.

The former royal harpist will have a starring role at the Wales Harp Festival, which takes place at Galeri in Caernarfon on April 17 and 18. Since becoming the first person since 1782 to hold the post of royal harpist in 2000, Finch has performed extensively throughout the USA, South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Europe, both as a soloist and appearing with many of the world’s top orchestras.

Finch said: ‘It was a horrible time, there’s no question of that. Unfortunately I have a faulty gene that left me susceptible to breast cancer. The worst thing, in some ways, was that I couldn’t play the harp for a couple of months, between September and October. That was difficult as I try and practice every day when my schedule allows. It was strange not playing but I can now put that behind me and get on with my life. I just have to be thankful.’

The theme of this year’s festival is the June 1919 signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which helped bring an end to the Great War. Finch will be performing works by French harpists who were composing at the time of the Treaty 100 years ago, as well as music by Bach, Piazzola and William Mathias.

Kompositionswettbewerb für Kinder und Jugendliche

Kompositionswettbewerbe für Kinder und Jugendliche gibt es bereits mehrere, zudem den Bundeswettbewerb “Jugend komponiert”. An der Münchner Musikhochschule ist der Wettbewerb Teil der Hochbegabtenförderung.