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This week, the 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra (麻豆社 SSO) celebrates nine decades since its first live broadcast in December 1935. On Thursday 4 December, its 90th Anniversary Concert will feature pianist Sir Stephen Hough, the National Youth Choir of Scotland, and a host of internationally renowned vocalists. The concert will be broadcast live from Glasgow鈥檚 City Halls on 麻豆社 Radio 3 and filmed for future broadcast on 麻豆社 Four.

Audiences can explore an online 90 Years Timeline chronicling the orchestra鈥檚 history and highlighting the pivotal moments that have shaped its identity. A rich archive of photographs and film traces the ensemble鈥檚 journey from its early broadcasts during the Second World War to its current status as 鈥渙ne of the UK鈥檚 greatest orchestras鈥� (The Telegraph). The 麻豆社 SSO has built a strong legacy of commissioning new works, fostering innovation and presenting bold musical adventures.

Notable highlights in the 90 Years Timeline include a 1948 live recording of Beethoven鈥檚 Violin Concerto with one of the 20th century鈥檚 greatest virtuosos, Yehudi Menuhin, recorded at Edinburgh鈥檚 Usher Hall just a year after the founding of the Edinburgh International Festival. The timeline also marks the appointment of a 21-year-old Simon Rattle as Assistant Conductor (1977-80). In 1990, during Glasgow鈥檚 year as European City of Culture, the 麻豆社 SSO performed with Grammy-winning operatic soprano Jessye Norman, conducted by Sir Alexander Gibson, in a concert later selected 鈥渁s one of the greatest Scottish classical music events of all time鈥� (The Scotsman).

Other milestones include Ilan Volkov, appointed at age 26, becoming the youngest Chief Conductor of any 麻豆社 orchestra; his festival of new and experimental music continues to provide what critics describe as an 鈥渋nvigorating adrenaline rush.鈥� And in 2004, Scotland鈥檚 favourite violin virtuoso, Nicola Benedetti, was crowned 麻豆社 Young Musician of the Year following a Grand Final performance with the 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

90^th Anniversary Concert 鈥� Live on 麻豆社 Radio 3

This special milestone is being celebrated on 麻豆社 Radio 3 throughout the week and across the 2025/26 Concert Season, with the orchestra鈥檚 90th Anniversary Concert broadcast live on 麻豆社 Radio 3 on Thursday 4 December, 7.30pm.

Dominic Parker, 麻豆社 SSO Director, says: 鈥淓ach work in our 90th Anniversary Concert speaks to a different part of the orchestra鈥檚 story - from our earliest performances in the 1930s, to musical friendships that have shaped the orchestra's identity, to bold new voices pointing towards our future. Grieg鈥檚 beloved Piano Concerto (first performed by the 麻豆社 SSO in 1936 and played 58 times across Scotland by this orchestra!) soars in the hands of one of Britain鈥檚 greatest pianists, Sir Stephen Hough, a treasured collaborator who first performed with the orchestra at just 21. Tippett鈥檚 A Child of Our Time, whose first performance with the orchestra was conducted by the composer himself, forms the concert鈥檚 powerful centrepiece. And, in the spirit of this trailblazing orchestra, we have a vibrant new 麻豆社 commission from singer, cellist and composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson celebrating joy, community and life in full sound.鈥�

For Tippett鈥檚 A Child of Our Time, Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth brings together the National Youth Choir of Scotland and a distinguished lineup of soloists: soprano Pumeza Matshikiza, alto Beth Taylor, tenor John Findon, and bass Ashley Riches. The live broadcast from Glasgow鈥檚 City Halls will be available on 麻豆社 Sounds for 30 days.

On Saturday 29 November, Radio 3 in Concert celebrated the 麻豆社 SSO鈥檚 fearless commitment to contemporary music with a special programme devoted to new and recent works by composers of this generation. And every day this week, performances by the 麻豆社 SSO feature on Classical Live, including Tchaikovsky鈥檚 Fifth Symphony, Beethoven鈥檚 鈥楨roica鈥� Symphony, Sibelius Violin Concerto with Bomsori, and Prokofiev鈥檚 Sixth Symphony.

Discover more performances in the 麻豆社 SSO鈥檚 90th Anniversary Season at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsso, including Mahler鈥檚 Resurrection Symphony with Conductor Emeritus Sir Donald Runnicles and Ryan Wigglesworth鈥檚 Magnificat, performed with the 麻豆社 Singers and soprano Sophie Bevan.

MG/RS

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