St Andrews 26/27 Brochure

For the love of music

Welcome to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 2026/27 St Andrews Season.

Across five richly contrasting concerts, we are delighted to return to Holy Trinity Church for music that spans Baroque brilliance, Classical wit and Romantic intensity, alongside some striking 20th and 21st century voices. From Ravel, Haydn and Mozart to Prokofiev, Bartók and Hillborg, our 26/27 programmes celebrate a huge breadth of repertoire and demonstrate the SCO’s refined musicianship.

Whether discovering orchestral music for the first time or returning to much-loved

masterpieces, you can expect performances of warmth, virtuosity and unforgettable musical storytelling.

Join us!

Gavin Reid LVO Chief Executive, SCO

Please note that, following feedback from our audiences, the start time for our evening concerts in St Andrews is moving to 7pm.

University of St Andrews Students

Studying in St Andrews? Want to try something new? For just £6 per concert, students can experience the SCO live at Holy Trinity Church throughout the 2026/27 Season. Free digital programmes available in advance and on the night.

Autumn Classics

RAVEL

Le Tombeau de Couperin

SAINT-SAËNS

Cello Concerto No.1

HAYDN

Symphony No.101 ‘Clock’

Stephanie Gonley director

Philip Higham cello

Sat 12 Sep, 7pm

Holy Trinity Church

Tickets £15 – £26

To launch the 2026/27 St Andrews Season, Stephanie Gonley directs the Orchestra in a vibrant programme. Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin opens the evening, its Baroque elegance infused with French colour. SCO Principal Cello Philip Higham stars in Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto, a brilliant showcase of lyricism and flair. Haydn’s Symphony No.101 ‘The Clock’ closes proceedings - a witty, inventive work whose irrepressible energy is sure to delight.

Tchaikovsky Serenade

LARSSON

Lyric Fantasy

ANDERS HILLBORG

Cello Concerto

TCHAIKOVSKY

Rococo Variations

TCHAIKOVSKY

Serenade

Andrew Manze conductor

Amalie Stalheim cello

Wed 4 Nov, 7pm

Holy Trinity Church

Tickets £15 – £26

Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze leads the SCO in an eloquent programme that spans centuries and styles, from Nordic refinement to Russian Romanticism.

We begin with Lars-Erik Larsson’s Lyric Fantasy, a graceful and atmospheric work that complements Anders Hillborg’s bold and imaginative Cello Concerto. The soloist is the brilliant Amalie Stalheim, whose virtuosity brings out the work’s striking contrasts as well as moments of delicate intimacy and dazzling flair.

Stalheim then returns for Tchaikovsky’s elegant Rococo Variations, a sparkling tribute to 18th-century style and to close, Andrew Manze conducts Tchaikovsky’s beloved Serenade, a masterpiece of soaring melodies and lyrical depth.

A Baroque Christmas

HANDEL

Concerto a due Cori No.2

LOCATELLI

Concerto Grosso in F minor Op.1 No.8 ‘Christmas Concerto’ MUFFAT

Sonata V from Armonico Tributo (Salzburg 1682)

CORELLI

Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op.6 No.8 ‘fatto per la note di Natale’

VIVALDI

Violin Concerto in E ‘Il riposo per il Santissimo Natale’

JS BACH

Orchestral Suite No.4

Rachel Podger director/violin

Wed 16 Dec, 7pm

Holy Trinity Church

Tickets £15 – £26

Celebrate the season in true Baroque splendour as Rachel Podger returns, this time leading an evening of festive music. From the grandeur of Handel to the intimate charm of Corelli and the brilliance of Bach, this glittering programme is brimming with warmth and festive spirit. Expect moments of jubilation, serenity and virtuosity –a perfect pre-Christmas treat.

“ One of the greatest musical experiences ever.”

AUDIENCE MEMBER

“Please give us more evenings like this!”

AUDIENCE MEMBER

“ The shared enjoyment of the audience and the Orchestra was palpable.”

AUDIENCE MEMBER

“ Sublime from the first note until the last.”

AUDIENCE MEMBER

Matinee

Prokofiev & Bartók

with Alena Baeva

DVOŘÁK

Romance

PROKOFIEV

Violin Concerto No.2

PROKOFIEV

Overture on Hebrew Themes

Op.34 bis BARTÓK Divertimento

Alena Baeva violin/director

Wed 24 Feb 2027, 2pm

Holy Trinity Church

Tickets £15 – £26

Alena Baeva returns to Scotland to direct an elegant, high-energy matinee. At its heart is Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto, from its haunting opening to a fiery finale, animated by Baeva’s trademark intensity.

Dvořák’s lyrical Romance opens the programme, followed by Prokofiev’s colourful Overture on Hebrew Themes, before Bartók’s Divertimento brings the afternoon to a close with rhythmic vitality and folk-inspired flair.

Please note: this concert is a matinee performance, starting at 2pm.

‘Turkish’ Concerto Mozart's

KODÁLY

Dances of Galánta

MOZART

Violin Concerto No.5 ‘Turkish’

DVOŘÁK

Symphony No.5

Václav Luks conductor

Alena Baeva violin

Václav Luks leads the SCO in a colourful programme blending Hungarian fire with Viennese flair. Kodály’s vibrant Dances of Galánta opens the concert, rich in folk rhythms.

Mozart’s beloved Violin Concerto No.5 ‘Turkish’ follows, performed by Alena Baeva, whose radiant tone brings sparkle and wit to this classic. The evening concludes with Dvořák’s Symphony No.5, a work of rustic charm and Bohemian warmth.

Wed 21 Apr, 7pm

Holy Trinity Church

Tickets £15 – £41

Big Ears, Little Ears

Wed 17 Jun 2026, 11.30am

V&A Dundee

(part of Healing Arts Scotland 2026)

Tue 13 Apr 2027, 10am & 11.30am

Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews

Sat 17 Apr 2027, 10am & 11.30am

Perth Theatre, Joan Knight Studio

Tickets

Adults £6

Under 18s go FREE

Please note: these concerts are not part of the SCO Multibuy ticket offer.

Our Big Ears, Little Ears concerts are specially designed for children under five and their grown-ups.

These relaxed, interactive performances are playful, multi-sensory adventures that bring music to life. Watch as a quartet of SCO musicians creates an up-close experience full of wonder, rhythm, and joy.

It’s a BIG musical journey for LITTLE music fans, perfect for sparking a lifelong love of music.

Tickets and how to book

Season Multibuy

Multibuy bookings (4+ concerts) are open to everyone until Friday 3 September 2026. You can choose a mix of eligible St Andrews, Edinburgh or Glasgow concerts to be part of your Multibuy Package. The more you chose, the bigger the discount.

Current Multibuy bookers will have been informed of their booking periods and new Multibuy bookers can book from the 8 June.

Save up to 25% and access a range of benefits with our Multibuy packages.

Booking Individual Concerts (via The Byre Theatre) from 29 June, 10am

Please note that seating is unreserved within each price band. For

Book online: www.sco.org.uk/multibuy By phone: 0131 557 6800 (Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm) By post: send a completed booking form to us at SCO Tickets, 4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 5AB

If you wish to book 1, 2, or 3 concerts in the 2026/27 St Andrews Season you can do so via The Byre Theatre box office. Visit www.byretheatre.com or call 01334 475 000 or drop into the Byre Theatre box office in person to book your tickets.

4 Royal Terrace

Edinburgh EH7 5AB +44 (0)131 557 6800 sco.org.uk

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is a charity registered in Scotland No. SC015039. Company registration No. SC075079

Every effort is made to ensure that all information is correct at the time of going to print. The SCO reserves the right to change dates, artists or programmes if necessary.

Front cover: Michelle Dierx Second Violin

Back cover: Kenneth Henderson Principal Horn

Photos: Christopher Bowen