TALLINN - You may have missed them at last summer's BBC Proms and, let's face it, if you're living in the Baltics, it's just not that easy to get to Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall.
But relief is on the way for Latvians and Estonians who have been waiting to see the BBC Scottish Symphony Orches-tra, one of the U.K.'s most highly regarded touring orchestras.
The BBC SSO, as it is commonly called, will be performing on successive nights from March 16 - 19 in Riga, Parnu, Tartu and Tallinn.
"[It's] quite a huge event in Estonia. We don't have international symphony orchestras every week or every month," said Madis Kolk, the Eesti Kontsert producer organizing the BBC SSO's Estonia tour.
One of five full-time BBC orchestras, the Glasgow-based institution was founded in 1935, and through the years has won countless awards, including the Royal Philharmonic Society's Orchestral Award and a Grammy nomination. In addition to being a regular fixture at the annual BBC Proms in London, the BBC SSO is in high demand internationally, and has toured Europe, the U.S.A. and China.
Lately, however, a large part of the BBC SSO's popularity is down to its dynamic, young star, Ilan Volkov, who took over as chief conductor in January 2003. Considered one of the most outstanding young conductors of his generation, the Israeli-born 27-year-old was principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and more recently assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Critics have universally praised him for bringing a stunning intensity to his work and breathing new life into the classics.
"He's very popular and beloved by the audience. He's a big selling name," said Kolk.
At the Latvian National Opera in Riga, the orchestra will perform Dvorak's symphonic poem, "The Wood Dove," a Bartok dance suite and Schubert's "Symphony No.9." Bartok is also on the menu at Tartu's Vanemuise Concert Hall, along with Stravinsky's "Symphony in Three Movements" and Beethoven's "Symphony No.7."
The program for Tallinn's Estonia Concert Hall and the Parnu Concert Hall will include the above works by Stravinsky, Dvorak and Beethoven, as well as "Aditus," a work by the internationally renowned Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tuur.
Tickets for the performance in Riga cost 4 lats (6.50 euros) - 50 lats, and can be purchased at the National Opera. They can also be reserved over the Internet. Tickets for the Estonia performances will be on sale at concert hall box offices, as well as at Piletipunkt outlets. These cost 200 kroons (13 euros) - 500 kroons for the Tallinn performance, and up to 300 kroons for the Parnu and Tartu shows. All performances start at 7 p.m.
BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra
March 16 -
National Opera House, Riga
March 17 -
Parnu Concert Hall
March 18 -
Vanemuise Concert Hall, Tartu
March 19 -
Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn
