Scottish Chamber Orchestra announces appointment of new Chorusmaster

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The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is delighted to announce the appointment of Gregory Batsleer as Chorusmaster of the SCO Chorus. The appointment was sealed following Gregory’s work as Guest Chorusmaster for last week’s performances of Edward Harper’s Symphony No 2 in Glasgow and Edinburgh. His first work in post will be preparing the Chorus for performances of Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ in Edinburgh (Usher Hall, 4 February), Glasgow (City Halls, 5 February) and Aberdeen (Music Hall, 6 February). These concerts will be conducted by the Orchestra’s recently appointed Principal Conductor Robin Ticciati, who like Gregory is still in his twenties.

Gregory Batsleer is Director of the Hallé Youth Choir, Co-Founder and Principal Conductor of The Manchester Consort and an Associate Conductor with the Royal Northern College of Music’s Outreach Department. He has also worked as Guest Chorusmaster for several performances by the Hallé Choir. During 2007-08 he held a Choral and Music Scholarship in Princeton, USA and he is currently a Scholar at the Royal College of Music. Gregory also performs as a bass baritone and has sung as soloist and as a choral scholar in Manchester, London and New York.

Commenting on his appointment, Gregory said: “I am utterly thrilled and excited to be joining such a renowned and artistically acclaimed organisation. I am looking forward to the challenge of preparing and developing the SCO Chorus for its performances throughout forthcoming seasons, and to establishing a relationship with new Principal Conductor Robin Ticciati. It has been great to get to know the Chorus recently and I hope to continue to build on some already fantastic foundations. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras and it is my aim to bring the SCO Chorus to the same level.”

Roy McEwan, Managing Director of the SCO , added: “We are delighted that we have been able to appoint such a talented musician as Gregory to be our next Chorusmaster. The SCO Chorus is a crucial part of the SCO ’s artistic personality and over the years it has given outstanding performances in many of our most memorable projects. I’ve no doubt that Gregory will bring his own special talents to the Chorus’s work and continue to build on its previous achievements.”

Forthcoming concerts with Gregory Batsleer and the SCO Chorus:

BERLIOZ    L’Enfance du Christ

Robin Ticciati conductor
Karen Cargill Mary
Yann Beuron Centurion, Narrator
Ronan Collett Polydorus, Joseph
Matthew Rose Herod, Ishmaelite Father
SCO Chorus

Thursday 4 February, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Friday 5 February, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow
Saturday 6 February, 7.30pm Music Hall, Aberdeen

BRAHMS    Serenade No 2
BRAHMS    Serious Songs
SCHUMANN    Mass in C minor Op 147

John Storgårds conductor
Rachel Nicholls soprano
Benjamin Hulett tenor

Stephan Loges bass baritone
SCO Chorus

Thursday 6 May, 7.30pm Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Friday 7 May, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow

Tickets:
Aberdeen: £8.50-£19 (concessions available)
Aberdeen Box Office, tel 01224 641122 www.boxofficeaberdeen.com

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