Bringing a symphony orchestra to the people

The Nevis Ensemble takes its 40-piece symphony orchestra to venues around Glasgow and Ayrshire this month.

Between 6-8 December, they will be joined by international mezzo soprano Andrea Baker.

Conducted by Jon Hargreaves, this relentlessly energetic group will give 18 concerts in public spaces and community venues along the Ayrshire coast and Glasgow including schools, hospitals, homeless centres and museums. The tour will also celebrate Nevis Ensemble’s 200th performance as an orchestra.

Concerts will take place in community venues and public spaces such as Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, East End Free Festival, Glasgow City Mission, Glasgow Night Shelter, James Reid School, The Rivergate Centre, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Ayrshire Arts and Crafts Fair, Scottish War Blinded and Gartnavel Royal Hospital (full schedule below)

Nevis Ensemble’s co-Aartistic director Jon said: ‘Society is ever more divided, and at Nevis whilst we don’t propose to solve any of these issues, we hope we can bring some joy into people’s day through the act of giving high-quality, fun and interactive performances.’

In Nevis style, the music will cover all genres, with Debussy’s Children’s Corner Suite sitting alongside A-ha’s Take on Me, new music composed by Rufus Elliot (commissioned in conjunction with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), and an energetic Gaelic Waulking Song arranged specially for Nevis – a firm favourite with Nevis audiences, all part of the repertoire.

The orchestra will be joined by international mezzo soprano Andrea Baker, who will sing favourites including arias from Carmen and Porgy and Bess as well as works by Wagner and Handel.

The Nevis Ensemble performing on St Kilda

British-American mezzo-soprano Andrea Baker is renowned for her distinctive voice, intense artistry, and passion. She has appeared on the opera stage all over the world, including at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Opera Australia; at the BBC Proms, Edinburgh International, Aix-en-Provence and Salzburg festivals; with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony and Philharmonia orchestras; and in the world’s great concert halls including London’s Barbican, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Tokyo Opera City.

Nevis Ensemble’s 40 musicians are drawn from all over the country, with the aim of taking music to everyone, everywhere – giving concerts to people where they are and when they are there.

The full schedule is –

Friday 6 December. 10.30am: Scottish War Blinded, Paisley (non public); Noon, : St Anthony’s Primary School, Saltcoats (non public); 1.50pm: James Reid School, Saltcoats (non public); 4.30pm: Princes Square; 6.15pm: Gartnavel Royal Hospital; 8pm: Glasgow City Mission (non public).

Saturday 7 December. 11am: Ayrshire Arts and Crafts Fair; 12.30pm: The Rivergate Centre; 4pm: East Ayrshire Carers Centre (non public); 6pm: East End Free Festival; 9pm: Glasgow Autonomous Space / Glasgow Night Shelter.

Sunday 8 December. 10am: Glasgow Central Station; 12.30pm: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; 2.30pm: Shop Silverburn; 3.30pm: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum; 4.30pm: Scottish Youth Theatre; 7pm: Refuweegee.

Since August 2018 Nevis Ensemble has given 180 concerts to 26,500 people across Scotland, covering everywhere from Tesco to the summit of Ben Nevis itself, whilst collaborating with a host of organisations such as Glasgow’s Refuweegee (who also climbed Ben Nevis), Aberdeen Performing Arts (reopening Aberdeen Music Hall), Sistema Scotland, Social Bite (performing at the Social Bite Village and at Sleep in the Park), and the Scottish Government’s St Andrew Fair Saturday in both 2018 and 2019.

Artistically led by Holly Mathieson and Jon Hargreaves, Nevis aims to remove barriers to accessing orchestral music, bringing it to where people are, and when they are there.

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