Castle ballroom venue for chamber orchestral outing

A Perthshire castle is to host a summer concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for the third year running.

To be held on Saturday June 24 in Blair Castle, the concert forms part of the SCO’s extensive touring programme which runs from June to September.

Julia Sim, sales and marketing manager at Blair Castle, welcomed the return of the orchestra.

“We are delighted they love us as a venue,” she said. “The ballroom is something of a showstopper, a wonderfully atmospheric space. It will undoubtedly add extra drama to the symphonies which the SCO will perform with their usual verve and aplomb.”

Led by acclaimed Swedish conductor and violinist Tobias Ringborg, the concert places two SCO players, leader Benjamin Marquise Gilmore and principal double bass Nikita Naumov, in the spotlight as they perform Bottesini’s Gran Duo Concertante.

Other highlights will be German composer Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 4 and Swedish composer Wilhelm Stenhammar’s Two Sentimental Romances. Bringing the concert to a close is Mozart’s Symphony No 35, Haffner.

Gilmore was appointed leader of the SCO in late 2016, a position he shares with Stephanie Gonley.

Gavin Reid, Scottish Chamber Orchestra chief executive, said: “We are delighted to return to Blair Castle for the third year in a row.

“The orchestra always enjoys performing in the magnificent ballroom and are always thrilled to play to such a large and very appreciative audience in Highland Perthshire.”

Tickets are available from www.sco.org.uk or Blair Castle.