Highland Regional Youth Orchestra Performs in Scotland's Largest Cities

18th June 2006

Edinburgh and Glasgow are to host performances from the Highland Regional Youth Orchestra on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th June, 2006.

This 90-strong orchestra whose members come from Highland schools will perform Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture, Wagner's Die Meistersinger Overture and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Suite with selected operatic arias and percussion ensemble.

Conductor, Susan Dingle will lead the orchestra with Soprano, Wilma MacDougall at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh on Monday 26th and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow on Tuesday 27th June. Both performances commence at 7.30pm.

Highland Council's Music Development Officer Norman Bolton said: "The pieces to be performed promise to provide a most enjoyable evening~s music and the orchestra have already given two well-received performances in Highland during this session.

"The orchestra is delighted that Wilma MacDougall has agreed to be their guest at both these concerts. Wilma travelled to Strathpeffer in November 2005 for the orchestra's first concert of the season which was performed to a capacity audience. At the group's second concert in March of this year, the large and appreciative audience in Aviemore gave a tumultuous reception to the members of the orchestra's percussion section. As an amalgamation of both these programmes, the Edinburgh and Glasgow concerts promise to provide a most enjoyable evening's music with the high musical standards produced by all the players under the baton of their Conductor, Susan Dingle."

The orchestra is one of the Regional Instrumental Groups supported by The Highland Council and administered by the Council's Music Development Officer. The members are dedicated musicians who travel great distances to meet for rehearsal weekends which are staffed by many of the Council's Instrumental Tutors.

The orchestra will be accompanied on this trip by Highland Youth Big Band who will give lunchtime performances at The Royal Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh (12 noon, 26th June) and George Square, Glasgow (12 noon 27th June). This is the Big Band's first year of existence and it has already made its mark on the Highland's music scene with previous performances during the session.