Caithness Orchestra leads the world with a Covid-proof season ahead
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
After being unable to meet and play together since March due to Covid-19 restrictions Caithness Orchestra is pioneering a new way of learning repertoire.
The local group is now leading the way for other amateur orchestras and orchestral musicians from all over the world.
The fully inclusive orchestra project – Pictures at an Exhibition – was a plan hatched by conductor Susie Dingle, who has worked alongside composer Katrina Gordon to bring it to fruition.
The pair, who champion community music making locally through their social enterprise caithnessmusic.com, have been working behind the scenes with their friends and colleagues from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) since mid-August to create a Covid-proof project, based online but hopefully leading to a live performance in 2021.
“We’ve aimed to make a project that would keep all of our local musicians connected and playing “together” online over the winter months while we wait for the restrictions to ease,” explained Susie.
“Each Wednesday the SCO will release a rehearsal video and sheet music on their website, and our local musicians can practice alongside these amazing professionals in the comfort of their own homes.
"Anyone can join in at any time. The project spans 10 weeks this year, and a further 10 weeks in the new year, and we’re hopeful that it will culminate in a live event in Caithness in April 2021.
"It’s great to have an event to work towards and to have something to look forward to.”
The music has been arranged by Katrina Gordon, using the original Mussorgsky and Ravel scores as source material. The level is aimed to be just right for an adult amateur community orchestra with the addition of access parts for learner and beginner musicians of all ages.
“The thing I love about this project is how it’s connecting musicians from all over the world,” said Katrina.
“We know that there are isolated musicians joining in from as far afield as Australia and America, and we’ve already had four other amateur orchestras in the UK indicating their intention to follow the Caithness Orchestra’s lead and aim for a live event in their own areas next year.
"It’s very uplifting to connect with these other musicians, and it is an absolute joy to play each week alongside our colleagues from the SCO on-screen. The more, the merrier – any age, any ability can join in with this project at any time and it’s all free of charge.”
Katrina and Susie, along with the leader of the Caithness Orchestra Fiona Matthews, have been producing weekly supplementary videos to enable less experienced participants to be able to join in and keep their place on the learners’ parts, and these are available on the caithnessmusic.com YouTube channel.
Anyone interested in joining in with the project should sign up on the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s website or email connect@sco.org.uk
