Chance to give curling a shot

THE GOVERNING body for curling in Scotland, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC), has launched its 2014 Try Curling initiative to attract new people to the sport during the Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games and beyond.

More than 2,000 people tried curling for the first time in Scotland during the last Olympics year in 2010, but it is hoped that even more people will be motivated to try curling for the first time this year and develop their interest in a sport which is enjoyed by all ages, genders and abilities.

To support the initiative, a new website, www.trycurling. com, has been launched to make it easy for people to get involved with hundreds of taster sessions and beginner classes searchable online, and many free of charge to attend.

Users can also learn about the basics of the game, locate ice rinks and curling clubs near them, and find regional and national curling events to watch Scotland’s top action.

Everyone attending aTry Curling session between February 15 and March 9 will have the chance of winning a place at the RCCC’s Tr y Curling Champions event in April where they will be able to meet Team GB’s curling Olympians on their return from the Sochi Games.

Rhona Howie ( Martin), the 2002 Olympic gold medal winner, who is supporting the scheme, said: “I’m proud to be involved in the Try Curling initiative, especially with the Winter Olympic season upon us.

“It’s important that we attract new people to the sport to make sure we have future curlers to follow in the footsteps of our men’s and women’s teams in Sochi, Russia”.

Try Curling events start at Forfar Indoor Sports on Saturday; The Peak, Stirling on February 17; Fife Ice Arena on February 19; Dewars Centre, Perth on February 20; and Dundee Ice Arena on February 24.

curlers

in THE PIANO playing of Frederick Chopin was described as “beautiful, fluent and even”.

If you add to that “poise and perfection”, you have a pretty accurate description of Maria Joao Pires, a lady of style and consummate interpretation and one who can give grace to a fortissimo chord or a torrent of semiquavers.

The choice for her to perform with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for their 40th anniversary concert in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, was a sound one as she doesn’t simply bring her attributes to the stage.

She also shares a particularly good rapport with the orchestra and conductor Robin Ticciati.

Thus, their account of the second Chopin piano concerto was stunning.

Out of the three exceptional movements, the Larghetto was particularly sublime with the segue into the final allegro seamless.

The work doesn’t have a cadenza per say, but the soloist has plenty chance to dazzle which she did in her own way with a superb technique countered with a magnificent delicate touch.

The concert had opened with a commission by the SCO to celebrate the occasion, with Martin Suckling given the responsibility of creating a memorable work.

This he did with considerable success. Six Speechless Songs were a marvellous mix of ethereal strings and brilliant solo woodwind, backed by a rhythmic maelstrom.

It really was an inspired and engaging composition.

The concert f inished with Beethoven’s 5th, and if Ticciati was looking to end with a touch of bravura, his choice of tempi did exactly that. One could forgive slightly harsh brass in the opening movement as the grace and subtleties of the strings in the second more than compensated.

Ticciati’s fame for his interpretation of Beethoven was underlined with some delightful to- ing and fro-ing that added colour to an already colourful score and ensured a performance that merited the occasion.