Mackerras Scottish Orchestra's Mozart Concert

SCO Managing Director Roy McEwan commented "Sir Charles is one of the great Mozartians of our time and his very special relationship with the SCO has yielded great performances, both in concert halls across Scotland and Europe, and on disc. As with every concert when Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra come together; these will be performances to treasure in the memory."

The concerts open with one of Mozart's celebrated Salzburg choral works, Dominican Vespers. This is followed by Exsultate, Jubilate, writtenat the age of seventeen and, like much of his church music, its style sounds more operatic than ecclesiastical with the three-movement form giving it the character of a concerto for voice and orchestra. The closing piece, Symphony No 38, was composed for a series of Advent concerts in Vienna and soon afterwards Mozart took off for Prague, where the Symphony was met with great success and given its nickname.

The Orchestra will be joined on stage by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus, as well as soloists Lucy Crowe (soprano) and Anna Stephany (mezzo soprano), both making their live Scottish Chamber Orchestra debuts, and Timothy Robinson (tenor) and James Rutherford (bass).

Coinciding with this Mozart extravaganza is the latest release through the Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Linn records partnership - a double CD of Mozart's last four Symphonies (Nos 38-41) conducted by Sir Charles. Recorded at Glasgow's City Halls in August 2007, the discs promise definitive performances of the late, great symphonies and are already attracting rave reviews.

Following the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's performances in Edinburgh and Glasgow, there will be a Chamber Concert in Edinburgh's Queen's Hall on Sunday 2 March at 2.30pm. An SCO Ensemble performs Schubert's Octet and Mozart's Trio in E flat 'Kegelstatt', a piece which showcases Mozart's three favourite instruments – piano, clarinet and viola. -- www.sco.test.poptel.org.uk