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RSNO Christmas Concert featuring

The Presented by Josie Long Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Sat 20 Dec 2025 6pm

RSNO Christmas Concert featuring The Snowman Welcome to the RSNO’s Christmas Concert for an extra-special feast of Yuletide cheer! This family-friendly concert is packed with your favourite sing-along carols and festive melodies, including The Penguin Song and The Twelve Days of Christmas. And of course there’s the enchanting film The Snowman, shown on the big screen, accompanied by the Orchestra and narrated by our star guest, comedian Josie Long. It’s the perfect start to your Christmas!

Stephen Doughty Conductor Josie Long Presenter Magnus Holden Soloist RSNO Chorus Stephen Doughty Director, RSNO Chorus RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow Aimee Toshney Director, RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Christmas Overture Howard Blake

The Snowman

Narrator: Josie Long Soloist: Magnus Holden INTERVAL Leroy Anderson

A Christmas Festival Traditional (arr. Doughty)

Mary Had a Baby

Traditional (arr. Moore)

I Saw Three Ships Leroy Anderson

Sleigh Ride

Traditional (arr. Doughty)

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Adolphe Adam (arr. Battiwalla)

O Holy Night Mike Batt

A Christmas Overture Kevin Stannard (arr. Doughty)

The Penguin Song

Traditional (arr. Campbell)

Christmas Carol Fantasy Felix Mendelssohn (arr. Willcocks)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.’ Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With the angelic host proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’ Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born king.’ Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a Virgin’s womb: Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born king.’ Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings; Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born king.’

If viewing these notes at the concert, please do so considerately and not during performances. Please silence all mobile telephones and alerts, and refrain from taking photographs, without flash, until the end of each piece.

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Josie Long Presenter

Josie Long is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, podcaster and film-maker. She is a trailblazer of the UK comedy industry, as the first woman to be nominated three times for the Edinburgh Comedy Award (2010-12). Her nine critically acclaimed tours showcase her unique and powerfully original voice, and have been performed globally to sell-out shows. Her various podcasts and original radio shows have garnered her a worldwide audience of dedicated listeners and multiple awards. Josie is an avid film-maker, having written and performed in two short films and a full-length feature called Super November. She’s been on all the TV channels, and has two comedy specials currently streaming; Cara Josephine is available on Amazon Prime, and Something Better is available on Netflix. Her debut book, a collection of short stories called Because I Don’t Know What You Mean and What You Don’t, was published in 2023.

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Every Child, Every Community

Your support can brighten a child’s day. Will you help us bring the joy of music to children across Scotland? Scan the QR code to be taken to our donate page or visit rsno.org.uk/every-child

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Stephen Doughty Conductor

Hammond’s Requiem for the Lost Souls of the Titanic, performed exactly 100 years since the liner went down, and further European premieres of both Stuart Scott’s Requiem Brevis, which saw the 100-strong choir separated into eight choirs spaced around the audience, and Christopher Marshall’s Earthsong. Stephen particularly enjoys working with amateur singers, not least leading regular singing days frequently involving up to 800 amateur singers. He was Musical Director of Edinburgh Bach Choir for seven years and has enjoyed directing the Garleton Singers for over 30 years, performing with them recently at the Lammermuir Festival.

Stephen Doughty has been Chorus Director of the RSNO Chorus since the start of the 2022:23 Season. Since his arrival the Chorus has seen an influx of new members, and an abundance of varied and critically acclaimed performances, including Verdi’s Requiem, Britten’s War Requiem, Bruckner’s E Minor Mass and the Scottish premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s Christmas Oratorio. He has also directed the Chorus in new and imaginative programmes in their own right, including Rheinberger’s Mass in E flat for double choir, and concerts with percussion and organ featuring Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, the European premiere of McIntyre’s Missa Brevis and Ives’ final major choral work, Psalm 90.

Stephen plays harpsichord/organ continuo and orchestral piano and has given frequent organ recitals, including several on the grand Mulholland Organ in the Ulster Hall, Belfast. He is also in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with a large portfolio of work particularly for young voices. He has produced a plethora of arrangements of the music of pianist Christopher Norton, including two publications of piano duets and a suite for wind sextet, and has received commissions from Children’s Classic Concerts, the Ulster Orchestra and the RSNO. Commissions from the BBC have seen his work being performed on BBC Alba and at the Last Night of the Proms, and his pieces feature on several recordings, including with the RSNO Chorus.

Stephen’s previous 12-year tenure as Chorus Master of Belfast Philharmonic Choir included a number of world premieres, most significantly James Whitbourn’s The Seven Heavens and Philip

Stephen is an Examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

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Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Piano Concertos (soloist: Benjamin Grosvenor), conducted by Elim Chan, two Diapason d’Or awards (Denève/Roussel 2007; Denève/Debussy 2012) and eight GRAMMY Award nominations. In recent years, the RSNO has cultivated an international reputation for world-class film, television and videogame soundtrack recording. The Orchestra has recorded for BAFTA-winning series Silo (Apple TV) and worked with the likes The Orchestra’s artistic team is led by Danish of GRAMMY Award-winning composer Lorne conductor Thomas Søndergård, who was Balfe on Life on Our Planet (Netflix). Other notable appointed Music Director in 2018. In March 2024, titles include Nuremberg (Sony Pictures), Now You Austrian-born conductor, composer and musician See Me: Now You Don’t (Lionsgate), Horizon: An Patrick Hahn became the Orchestra’s Principal American Saga (Warner Bros) and Star Wars Guest Conductor. Outlaws (Ubisoft). The Orchestra records at its bespoke in-house facility in Glasgow. The RSNO is supported by the Scottish Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company became the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950 and was awarded Royal Patronage in 1977. Many renowned conductors have contributed to its success, including Sir John Barbirolli, Walter Susskind, Sir Alexander Gibson, Neeme Järvi, Walter Weller, Alexander Lazarev and Stéphane Denève.

Government and is one of the Scottish National Performing Companies. The Orchestra performs across Scotland, including concerts in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness, and appears regularly at the Edinburgh International Festival and BBC Proms. The RSNO has made recent tours to China and Europe. The RSNO has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its recordings, receiving a 2020 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Chopin’s

The RSNO believes that music can enrich lives, and aims to inspire, educate and entertain people throughout Scotland and beyond with its performances, recordings and engagement programmes. Supporting schools, families, young professionals and wider communities, the RSNO delivers high-quality initiatives for all ages and abilities.

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On Stage FIRST VIOLIN Maya Iwabuchi LEADER

CELLO Pei-Jee Ng

PRINCIPAL

HORN Amadea Dazeley-Gaist

Shlomy Dobrinsky

Betsy Taylor Kennedy Leitch Yuuki Bouterey-Ishido Rachael Lee Sarah Digger Robert Anderson Gunda Baranauskaitė

Alison Murray Diana Sheach David McClenaghan Martin Murphy

DOUBLE BASS Nikita Naumov

Katie Bannister Jason Lewis

Michael Rae Moray Jones Alexandre Cruz dos Santos Chris Sargeant

TROMBONE Dávur Juul Magnussen

FLUTE Oliver Roberts

PRINCIPAL BASS TROMBONE

ASSOCIATE LEADER

Tamás Fejes

ASSISTANT LEADER

Patrick Curlett Caroline Parry Ursula Heidecker Allen Elizabeth Bamping Lorna Rough Susannah Lowdon Alan Manson Liam Lynch Veronica Marziano Stewart Webster SECOND VIOLIN Emma Oldfield GUEST PRINCIPAL

Marion Wilson Jacqueline Speirs Nigel Mason Emily Nenniger Paul Medd Anne Bünemann Sophie Lang Robin Wilson Kirstin Drew Colin McKee Helena Rose VIOLA Tom Dunn PRINCIPAL

Felix Tanner Asher Zaccardelli Susan Buchan Nicola McWhirter Claire Dunn Lisa Rourke Maria Trittinger Francesca Hunt Beth Woodford

PRINCIPAL

TRUMPET Christopher Hart PRINCIPAL

PRINCIPAL

Cillian Ó Ceallacháin Alastair Sinclair

Janet Richardson

TUBA John Whitener

PRINCIPAL PICCOLO

PRINCIPAL

OBOE Adrian Wilson

TIMPANI Tom Hunter

GUEST PRINCIPAL

PRINCIPAL

Henry Clay

PRINCIPAL COR ANGLAIS

CLARINET Timothy Orpen PRINCIPAL

Duncan Swindells

PRINCIPAL BASS CLARINET

BASSOON Jamie Louise White ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

Paolo Dutto

GUEST PRINCIPAL

PERCUSSION Simon Lowdon PRINCIPAL

Peter Murch Stuart Semple HARP Pippa Tunnell KEYBOARD Lynda Cochrane

PRINCIPAL CONTRABASSOON

Orchestra list and programme details correct at time of going to print.

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RSNO Chorus

The RSNO Chorus performs in around six different programmes in up to 20 concerts across Scotland with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra each year. The RSNO Chorus has also had great success in recording with the Orchestra. Its recordings, among others, of Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, conducted by Neeme Järvi, and Holst’s The Planets, conducted by David Lloyd-Jones, have both attracted high critical acclaim.

War Requiem with the RSNO at the BBC Proms, joining the Orchestra again in the Royal Albert Hall in 2024 for Classic FM Live.

The RSNO Chorus evolved from a choir formed in 1843 to sing the first full performance of Handel’s Messiah in Scotland. Today it is one of the most successful choruses in the UK. In recent years it has performed practically every work in the standard choral repertoire along with contemporary works by renowned composers, In addition to its commitment to the Orchestra, the RSNO Chorus performs independently and has including John Adams, Magnus Lindberg, Howard Shore and, most recently, the critically acclaimed been invited to perform with orchestras in many Scottish Premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s parts of the world, establishing an international Christmas Oratorio. status and touring to Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Israel, Germany, Belfast, Australia, Trondheim, The RSNO Chorus is directed by Stephen Doughty, Amsterdam, Prague and, most recently, Budapest, who was appointed to the role at the start of the performing with the MAV Orchestra in the Liszt 2022:23 Season. Academy and Matthias Church, directed by Stephen Doughty. In 2018 it performed Britten’s

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SOPRANO 1 Alison Blair Alison Pryce-Jones Becky Ward Charlotte McKechnie Mary Fraser Morag Kean Morven MacDonald Roberta Yule Sarah Greer Seonaid Eadie

ALTO 2 Alison Bryce Ann Firth Anne Newlands Denny Henderson Eleanor McLaren Elizabeth Scobie Elizabeth Stevenson Gillian Downie Jane Stansfield Sonja Crossan

SOPRANO 2 Beth Kean Carol McLean Elspeth Waugh Jenny Cheung Judith Pexton Katie Dew Laura Gorman Leila Inglis Lorna Robertson Lynsey Brook Mairi Therese Cleary Miriam MacDonald Ruby Ginoris Sally Sandground

TENOR 1 Alex Rankine Andrew Clifford David Miller Nathan Dunsmore

ALTO 1 Ailie MacDougall Angela McDonald Anne Browning Anne Murphy Brenda Williamson Catriona Eadie Fiona Taylor Julia Haddow Julia King June Thomas Laura Macdonald Lauren Hadley Marrian Murray Marita McMillan Olivia Howe Gillespie Ruth Townsend Sophy Ying Uta Engelbrecht

TENOR 2 Calum Lowe Cosma Gottardi Graham Parsonage John Harvey Laurie Nelson Robert Paterson Sandy Eadie BASS 1 Alistair Laird Andrew Matheson Fraser Dalziel Ian Mackay Mark Millington Martin Engelbrecht Peter Saunders Robin Watson Toby Reed BASS 2 Alan Maxwell Graeme Simpson Kenneth Allen Melvyn Davies Stephen Lipton Stewart Macfarlane Stewart MacMillan Tim Reilly Tristan Stewart-Robertson

RSNO CHORUS DIRECTOR Stephen Doughty RSNO CHORUS VOCAL COACH Polly Beck RSNO CHORUS REHEARSAL PIANIST Edward Cohen

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RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow

The RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow was formed in November 2015. The group was set up to encourage singers who would like to build their confidence in all aspects of singing, including choral techniques, singing techniques and musicianship, as well as reading a musical score. The RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow meets at Adelaide Place, is open to all, without audition, and focuses on singing for health and wellbeing. For more information, visit: rsno.org.uk/project/ rsno-chorus-academy/

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SOPRANO 1 Agnes Wypych Andrea Nelson Anne Livingstone Grace Baxter Heather Ferguson Jackie McNamara Jan Smith Lynn Kennedy Margaret Kingsley Martina Boyce Mary Weeple Nikola March Viktoriya Sheikh SOPRANO 2 Daria van Vliet Elizabeth Irvine Gillian Harkness- McKinlay Irene Hastings Jennifer Macdonald Lynn Curran Maureen Sinclair Morag Buchanan Pauline Buchanan Sue Fraser ALTO 1 Alison Yacoubian Anne Marie Simpson Catriona Hunter Elizabeth Arbuckle Elizabeth Sherry Heather Fuller Kirstie McLean Mary Robertson Maureen Denham Polly Ewart Rosalind Mellon

ALTO 2 Aileen Robertson Biddy Ramsay Christine Davidson Christine Russell Debbie Connor Donna Mackenzie Fiona Marshall Gwen Stokes Keziah Nyam Jim Margaret Tarbert Marie McDougall Moira McArthur Morag McQuade Susan Futter TENOR David Lightbody Kathryn Yuile Lea Cramsie Ruth Murray Robert Arbuckle BASS Andrew Winter Bob Leslie Christian Marney Christopher Daly Laurence Reilly Martin Halleron Niahmat Ullah Peter Stott Robin Ewart Simon Munro Stephen Kennedy REHEARSAL PIANIST Hebba Benyaghla

Aimee Toshney

Director, RSNO Chorus Academy Glasgow

Scottish classical and traditional musician Aimee graduated from Glasgow University (MA 1st class Hons, MMus Musicology), the Royal Northern College of Music (MMus with Distinction) and English National Opera’s Opera Works programme. Solo performance highlights include Mozart’s Requiem with the RSNO Chorus, the title role in Carmen for an audience of over a thousand at Chiswick House, London, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music alongside Dame Felicity Lott, and performances in Canberra (British High Commission), Auckland Town Hall, London Coliseum, National Opera House (Ireland) and on Scottish television. An accomplished educator and animateur, Aimee has also directed, taught and consulted for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, National Girls’ Choir, National Youth Choir of Scotland, Luminate, Edinburgh International Festival, MENSA, Jessie’s Fund, Citizens Theatre, Scottish Association for Music Education, Sistema Scotland, RSNO Youth Chorus and ISM Trust for Education. Awards include an Evening Times Community Champion Award for dementia projects and the J M Barrie Action for Children’s Arts Members’ Award (Discovering Lieder project, Leeds Lieder).

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RSNO: Scotland’s National Orchestra 15

Royal Scottish National Orchestra PATRON His Majesty The King ARTISTIC TEAM Thomas Søndergård MUSIC DIRECTOR

Patrick Hahn

PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR

RSNO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Elected Directors Gregor Stewart CHAIR

Gail Blain

HONORARY TREASURER

CONDUCTOR EMERITUS

Ruth Binks Kayla-Megan Burns Ken Hay Kat Heathcote MBE Don Macleod David Robinson John Stewart David Strachan Cllr Edward Thornley

DIRECTOR, RSNO CHORUS

Julia Miller

Celia Llácer

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

Ellie Slorach

ENGAGEMENT CONDUCTOR

Kellen Gray

ASSOCIATE ARTIST

Neeme Järvi

CONDUCTOR LAUREATE

Alexander Lazarev Stephen Doughty Patrick Barrett

Player Directors Katherine Bryan Christopher Hart David Hubbard William Knight David McClenaghan Lorna Rough SCHOOLS ADVISORY GROUP Ruth Binks Pam Black Norman Bolton Martin Greig Mae Murrary

NOMINATED DIRECTOR COMPANY SECRETARY

DIRECTOR, RSNO YOUTH CHORUSES

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Dylan Findlay

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Seonaid Eadie

Alistair Mackie CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Ted Howie

FACILITIES MANAGER

Katie Kean

Dr Jane Donald

DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Charlotte Jennings

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (MATERNITY LEAVE COVER)

Nicola Kelman

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (MATERNITY LEAVE)

PLANNING

Tammo Schuelke

LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT

Andrew Stevenson DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT

Anna Crawford

ENGAGEMENT DELIVERY MANAGER (MATERNITY LEAVE)

Rachel Naismith

DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PLANNING

ENGAGEMENT DELIVERY MANAGER (MATERNITY COVER)

ARTISTIC PLANNING MANAGER

ENGAGEMENT PRODUCER

ARTISTIC PLANNING OFFICER

COMMUNITY CHORUS AND PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATOR SUPPORTED BY SCOTRAIL

Xander van Vliet

Maisie Leddy

Rachel Pullin

Chiko Parkinson

Richard Payne

HEAD OF LIBRARY SERVICES

EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING OFFICER

Niamh Kelly

TRUSTS AND PROJECTS MANAGER

Polly Lightbody

INDIVIDUAL GIVING AND PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER

Graham Ramage GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sam Stone

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Ross Williamson

VIDEO PRODUCER (MARKETING)

AUDIO

Hedd Morfett-Jones STUDIO MANAGER

Sam McErlean

Megan Bousfield

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

MEDIA MANAGER AND AUDIO ENGINEER

Christine Walker

Dr Jane Donald

TRAINEE AUDIO ENGINEER

DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

LIBRARY ASSISTANT CHORUS MANAGER

ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

Matthias Van Der Swaagh HEAD OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

Brodie Smith

DEPUTY ORCHESTRA MANAGER

Megan Walker

ORCHESTRA AND PROJECTS OFFICER

OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTION

Craig Swindells HEAD OF PRODUCTION

Ashley Holland STAGE MANAGER

Carol Fleming

HEAD OF MARKETING

Constance Fraser

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT (INDIVIDUALS AND PARTNERSHIPS)

Kirsten Reid

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT (TRUSTS AND PROJECTS) (MATERNITY LEAVE)

Lisa Ballantyne

PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER

Keilidh Bradley

Ahan Sengupta

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES

Susan Rennie HEAD OF FINANCE

Jade Wilson FINANCE OFFICER

Abby Dennison

FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR

Phoebe Connolly FINANCE ASSISTANT

GRADUATE ANIMATOR

Ian Brooke

PROGRAMMES EDITOR

Fred Bruce

TRUSTS AND PROJECTS ADMINISTRATOR

Clara Cowen

MARKETING MANAGER

Handel’s

Messiah FRI 2 JAN 2026: 3pm GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL

Book online at

rsno.org.uk