SCOTTISH Ensemble, the UK’s leading string orchestra, has launched the latest in its “musical book club” series with classical star Sally Beamish lined up to appear first.
One of the country’s foremost living composers, she will be joined in conversation by Scottish Ensemble violinist Cheryl Crockett, with audiences tuning in at home via Zoom.
Also a violist and pianist, Beamish is a regular collaborator with Scottish Ensemble, with the group having commissioned and premiered many significant works.
She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow, a Creative Scotland Award, a Paul Hamlyn Award, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 2018 she was awarded the Inspiration Award at the British Composer Awards in recognition of a lifetime of achievement.
In this month’s special discussion event, she will explore her compositional process and influences through a selection of her own works and the works that inspired them.
Crockett, who has played in many of the premieres, will bring the performer’s perspective.
Scottish Ensemble chief executive Jenny Jamison said she was “thrilled” Beamish was taking part.
She added: “These events are a great way for music lovers from around the world and from a range of backgrounds to engage with each other, the ensemble and some of the UK’s most prominent musicians, while enjoying some stunning pieces of music.
“We all miss talking directly with people who share our interests just now, and this format allows people to do that in as intimate a setting as digital life can allow.”
The event on February 24 will be followed by BBC writer and broadcaster Tom Service and Scottish Ensemble cellist Naomi Pavri discussing legendary Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag on March 10. Also taking place online via Zoom, it will argue for Kurtág’s place as one of the most unique compositional voices of the 20th century.
The following month the ensemble’s artistic director Jonathan Morton will be joined by solo and chamber artist Colin Currie.
Championing new music at the highest level, Currie is hailed as being “at the summit of percussion performance today” and is the
soloist of choice for many of this century’s foremost composers and conductors.
Currie and Morton will reflect on music written by some of the composers with whom Currie has had long professional relationships such as Steve Reich and James MacMillan, as well as composers he has premiered works for more recently like Helen Grime and Andy Akiho.
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