PRINCIPAL CELLO Background Information and Application Form

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is a world-renowned orchestra made up of the finest Scottish and international musicians, which has brought music to the people of Scotland and beyond for 40 years.

The SCO aims to provide as many opportunities as possible for the people of Scotland to hear our music. As well as playing across the length and breadth of Scotland, we take our music around the world. Outside Scotland, we are proud to be ambassadors for Scottish cultural excellence and in recent years, the Orchestra has toured throughout Europe, the Far East, India and the USA.

The SCO has made a significant contribution to Scottish life, not just in cultural terms but in what it gives back to the community. Outside the concert hall, SCO players inspire people of all ages in schools, universities, hospitals, care homes, places of work and community centres through the work of SCO Connect, the SCOs creative learning team.

The Orchestra promotes regular winter Seasons in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, St Andrews and (with the BBC SSO and RSNO) Perth. It also undertakes many engagements throughout Scotland and promotes Summer Season touring to Scotlands towns and villages.

An innovative orchestra, the SCO works to encourage the creation and performance of new music and, in collaboration with other arts organisations, explores cross-artform work.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra receives funding from the Scottish Government as one of Scotlands five National Performing Arts Companies.

Orchestra Structure

The Orchestra which is based in Edinburgh is freelance and consists of 37 member players and 20 members of staff in the administration. The Orchestra has a number of named positions, including

Robin Ticciati Principal Conductor (contract now on its second extension, to 2018).

Emmanuel Krivine Principal Guest Conductor (from 2015-16 Season)

Joseph Swensen Conductor Emeritus

Richard Egarr, Alexander Janiczek and Karen Cargill Associate Artists

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Composer Laureate

Martin Suckling Associate Composer

Gregory Batsleer Chorusmaster

The Orchestra also enjoys fruitful relationships with world leaders in historically informed performance, contemporary music and other specialist repertoire. Regular visitors include Andrew Manze, Phillipe Herreweghe and John Storgrds, composers Oliver Knussen and George Benjamin, and pianist-directors Piotr Anderszewski and Robert Levin.

Repertoire

The Orchestra has an international reputation for outstanding, idiomatic performances of repertoire ranging from the baroque through to newly commissioned scores, and from mainstream classical music to cross-artform collaborations.

The Orchestra enjoys close relationships with many leading composers and has commissioned more than 100 new works, including pieces by Composer Laureate Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, James MacMillan, Judith Weir, Sally Beamish, Karin Rehnqvist, Lyell Cresswell, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Martin Suckling.

Schedule

There is a recurrent core of around eight months of work per year, supplemented by touring and recording. This equates to around 80 concerts in Scotland each year as well as festival appearances, overseas tours, chamber music and recording projects. There are also many opportunities to supplement this work with involvement in projects run by SCO Connect, the Orchestras creative learning team.

From early October to mid May, the SCOs Winter Season provides schedules of around 23 weeks of own-promoted concerts throughout Scotland, with between two and four concerts each week over 60 concerts in total. These take place weekly in Edinburgh and Glasgow with additional concerts in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dumfries, Ayr, St Andrews and Perth. Touring, recording, New Year concerts and outside engagements may also fall within this period.

From mid May to the end of September work is less predictable than during the main Season, but there is a core of 10-12 weeks work. During the summer the SCO undertakes five weeks of Scottish regional touring, including remote areas as far as the Highlands and Islands; the whole Orchestra is also involved in Masterworks, the SCOs flagship secondary schools education project. The SCO is a regular at the Edinburgh International Festival and at East Neuk Festival in Fife. Other festivals, overseas touring and recording projects vary from year to year we aim to secure as much work as possible.

Festivals and Foreign tours

The Orchestra is one of Scotlands foremost cultural ambassadors, in demand throughout the world. Touring activities are supported by the Scottish Government. In its 40th Anniversary Year, 2014, the SCO has toured to Austria, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Germany and Hungary. Future tours will include Europe, USA and the Far East. The SCO appears regularly at UK festivals including Aldeburgh, St Magnus (Orkney) and the BBC Promenade Concerts.

Recording projects

The continuing dramatic changes in the industry present significant challenges. In 2002, SCO players and management agreed a partnership model to make studio recordings in conjunction with Linn Records and are currently making at least one CD per year; the Orchestra is also engaged to record for other labels. Recordings with Linn include award-winning Mozart Symphonies with Sir Charles Mackerras; Serenades and Concertos by Weber and Mozart with Alexander Janiczek; and works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev and Dvorak with Joseph Swensen. Robin Ticciatis recordings with the SCO include Berliozs Symphonie Fantastique, and Les Nuits dEt, Wagners Siegfried Idyll and the complete Schumann Symphonies (released September 2014).

Creative Learning

We are committed to Creative Learning in all its forms and are widely regarded as leading innovators in the field of orchestral education and outreach. Creative Learning is led by SCO Connect, who are a small but passionate team working at the heart of the SCO to provide creative opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities from across Scotland to get closer to the music and musicians of the SCO. SCO Connect does this through the creation and delivery of a diverse and constantly evolving portfolio of high quality music projects across Scotland. These range from large education concerts featuring internationally acclaimed soloists and workshop leaders, to smaller projects and workshops in which people from disadvantaged sectors of the community get the chance to make music with SCO musicians. SCO Connect encourages all SCO musicians to take part in Creative Learning projects including cross-arts/cross-genre projects, concerts, coaching, masterclasses etc. and works in collaboration with SCO musicians to explore and develop new ideas that not only engage with the wider public but also support the professional development of SCO musicians.

Other Opportunities

Aside from their work in the SCO, playing members work in other orchestras and ensembles both within and outside Scotland, and undertake other work such as private teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and local schools

Playing Commitment

The terms and conditions of this position offer a flexible workload and schedule.

The freelance contract SCO has with playing members provides a secure basic income while allowing flexibility for members to take on work outside the SCO. Many members enjoy the particular freedom this gives, working regularly in other orchestras and ensembles as well as non-classical groupings, and supplementing their incomes and musical experiences accordingly.

For further information about the SCO, copies of season brochures and the annual report are available on request.

APPLICATIONS

Please complete the following audition application form and equal opportunities form and send them to

Louisa Stanway

Orchestra Manager

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

4 Royal Terrace

Edinburgh EH7 5AB

Alternatively you can email the form to louisa.stanway@sco.org.uk

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Monday 13 October 2014

AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD IN EDINBURGH on 14 and 15 December 2014.

AUDITION

APPLICATION

FORM

Position applied for:

Principal Cello

Auditions will be in Edinburgh on 14 & 15 December 2014

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

Considerable experience of performing in professional chamber orchestras.

Expertise in a broad range of performance styles including baroque / classical / romantic, continuo playing and chamber music.

An understanding of stylistic performance practice.

Title

First name

Surname

Name:

Home address:

Home telephone:

Mobile:

Email:

Please note: Players selected for trial will be asked to provide documentary evidence of their right to work in the UK. All players performing with the SCO must be in possession of a valid UK work permit.

Nationality:

Do you need a work permit or visa to work in the UK?

If yes, do you have a UK work permit as of the date of this application? Please give details.

Date of issue:

Place of issue:

Expiry date:

How did you hear about this vacancy?

If other please state how:

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Dates

Institution

Teachers

Subject studied

Qualification obtained

ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE

CONTINUO EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONA