Oban Symphony to make its debut performance

Oban is getting its very own symphony on March 20 when the first performance of local composer Norman Nicholson’s recently completed Oban Symphony takes place in the Corran Halls. It was commissioned 10 years ago as a work associated with this area, and written for Oban Bach Orchestra, who will give the first performance. Like other amateur orchestras, they have played several classical symphonies over the years, such as Beethoven’s 5th and Schubert’s Unfinished, but have not attempted any more recent symphonies, since these tend to be too demanding and require too large an orchestra. The Oban Symphony fills a gap and will be played by an orchestra of 40. It is written in a fairly traditional style, easily understood at first hearing, yet containing the detailed musical development associated with a symphony.

Three other short pieces by Norman Nicholson complete the programme: one of Scotland’s foremost brass quintets, Brass Tracks, will get the evening off to a festive start; the Dohnanyi Trio will play arrangements of traditional Scottish airs; and Oban Bach Choir will join the orchestra in an extract from Saint Columba of Iona, composed 20 years ago to a libretto by Iain Crichton Smith.