Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Cello Classics - United Reformed Church - Fraserburgh

Programme
VIVALDI Concerto in G minor for two cellos and strings
ARENSKY Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky
SOLLIMA Violoncelles, Vibrez!
BRITTEN Three Divertimenti
MENOTTI Suite for two cellos and strings

Philip Higham cello/director
Su-a Lee cello
Donald Gillan cello
Eric de Wit cello

This summer, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra invites you to rediscover the expressive world of the cello. Led by SCO Principal Cello Philip Higham, and joined by fellow SCO cellists Su‑a Lee, Donald Gillan and Eric de Wit, this rich and uplifting programme showcases the cello’s full dramatic and lyrical range.

The evening begins with the fiery interplay of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Cellos, a work bursting with colour and conversation. The warm, glowing textures of Arensky’s Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky follow, before the energy surges in Giovanni Sollima’s exhilarating Violoncelles, Vibrez!, a piece that crackles with rhythmic intensity and momentum.

After the interval, the programme turns to a fresh pairing of contrasts and character. Britten’s music, arranged by Philip Higham into Three Divertimenti, offers wit, elegance, and finely crafted charm. The concert then concludes with Menotti’s Suite for Two Cellos and Strings, a work that blends expressive depth with spirited dialogue, bringing the evening to a vibrant and satisfying close.

With special thanks to Summer Tour sponsors Eriadne & George Mackintosh and Claire & Anthony Tait