MARCH 2013 UPDATE
Circular are proud to announce the latest release from The Procession. ‘Call You’ is taken from the band’s debut album ‘We are Now Leaving the Future’.
Savourna Stevenson/Orchestra of Scottish Opera (Classical/Childrens)
World renowned harpist Savourna Stevenson is emerging as one of Scotland’s most prominent composers. “As both a virtuoso player and a composer, she completely re-writes the rule-books and proves the harp is capable of being pushed beyond its usual limits”.
Over four decades, she has been commissioned to write across a wide range of musical genres and has collaborated with acclaimed artists from Aly Bain to the RSNO. Her prolific output includes music for dance, theatre, TV and concert commissions and she was the recipient of the prestigious Creative Scotland Award in 2001.
Over the past 10 years she has worked mainly within the world of classical music, producing two large orchestral works, three orchestrated songs for children’s choir, a harp quintet acclaimed for its use in TV series ˜Sex and the City” and ˜Ugly Betty”, and a new harp concerto to be premiered by soloist Catrin Finch.
katrin finch
Catrin Finch and the Scottish Ensemble will premier and tour Savourna Stevenson’s Concerto for Pedal Harp in June 2012.
mister stourworm
Savourna’s first large scale orchestral work, ˜Misterstourworm and the Kelpie’s Gift” was premiered by the RSNO in 2003 …
“The orchestral imagery that permeated her music was impressionistic … ravishing and exquisite” THE HERALD 6th October 2003
… and this is now available on CD, recorded by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, conducted by Christopher Bell, with narrator Billy Boyd ( Pippin in Lord of the Rings ). The CD also includes a series of stunning illustrations by Marvel artist Martin MacKenna.
NYCoSSavourna’s next symphonic work ˜Hansel and Gretel” has now also been recorded by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and will be released on CD next year.
Savourna is performing throughout 2011 and 2012 with NYCoS, the National Youth Choirs of Scotland. Local NYCoS choirs are joining Savourna as her concert guests at venues from Dumfries to Stornoway and will be performing her songs specially commissioned by NYCoS. After the recent NYCoS 15th Anniversary concert with the RSNO and a 600 strong children’s choir, the Herald wrote “Savourna Stevenson’s ˜Waiting for the Silver-sailed Moon” for the upper voices was again confirmed as the loveliest tune to have been created by the choral organisation’s commissioning work”.
In 2012 Savourna will also be collaborating with the Martinu Quartet on a programme including her own Harp Quintet and Andra Caplet’s Conte Fantastique.