Following sell-out performances in recent years, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra makes its much anticipated return to Strathpeffer Pavilion this summer to perform Beethoven’s thrilling Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’, as part of the Orchestra’s 35th year of summer touring across Scotland.

Amid the wonderful acoustic of the Pavilion, the SCO is joined by Hungarian conductor Gergely Madaras to present a concert of both classics and rarities.

Madaras opens the performance with a work by his fellow countryman Leo Weiner. His energetic Divertimento No 1 brings together a selection of five Hungarian folk melodies, each given its own short movement presenting a different type of dance and is one of the finest examples of Weiner’s authentic Hungarian style.

To follow, SCO Principal Flute Alison Mitchell presents Jacques Ibert’s rarely-performed Flute Concerto which was written in 1934 for the virtuoso flautist Marcel Moyse. The piece requires great skill of the soloist, particularly the solo cadenza of the last movement which was considered so technically challenging that it became one the test pieces at the Paris Conservatoire.

To bring the concert to a close, the SCO presents a well-loved classic: Beethoven’s magnificent Symphony No 3. The aptly-named ‘Eroica’ Symphony captures the Revolutionary spirit of Napoleonic Europe and demonstrates the respect the composer originally held for Bonaparte. This esteem was dashed when the Corsican proclaimed himself emperor, a move which led Beethoven to remove his original dedication of the piece.

The SCO has a long heritage of performing throughout Scotland and this summer celebrates its 35th consecutive year of touring to the Highlands and Islands, its 11th South of Scotland tour and its 7th Autumn Classics Tour visiting towns across the centre of the country.

SCO Chief Executive Roy McEwan comments:

“Leading up to the SCO’s 40th Anniversary Season, the 2013 summer touring marks some significant milestones in the Orchestra’s history and is a great time to reflect on this important aspect of our work and to reinforce the SCO’s commitment to serving the whole of the nation. The SCO is truly Scotland’s own orchestra and we are delighted to take our music-making to so many towns and villages throughout the country, as well as across the border and overseas.”

Source: SCO