Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 May 2012
02 May 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
National Performing Companies
I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak in this debate on the work of our national performing companies. All the companies do sterling work, as members have said, but I will concentrate on the work of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
I became familiar with the RSNO’s staff and grew to admire its work greatly when I was commissioning arts pieces for newspapers and working closely with the company. I should declare an interest: my daughter sings with the RSNO junior chorus. I pay tribute to Christopher Bell, who directs not just the junior chorus but the National Youth Choir of Scotland and has done incredible work to build Scotland’s reputation as a place for young singers.
The RSNO has a long and illustrious history. It was established in 1891 to support the Glasgow choral union, which it outlasted. It became the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950 and gained royal patronage in 1991. World-class conductors such as Sir Alexander Gibson, Walter Susskind and Neeme Järvi helped to make the orchestra one of the finest in Europe, as did several generations of talented musicians.
I will concentrate on the current, sparkling company and on developments in recent years, particularly under the creative direction of Stéphane Denève. The RSNO has been remarkably successful in reaching out to new audiences, attracting young people and engaging in educational, therapeutic and community work. It has attracted people who might not otherwise have gone to a classical music concert.
That was illustrated for me a few years ago, when I went to a Prokofiev concert in Glasgow royal concert hall. When we entered the foyer bar, ambient electronic music was playing. There were lots of young people around and I realised that I was one of the few audience members who were over 25—well over 25, it has to be said. The Prokofiev in question was conducting the orchestra—he was not the ghost of the famous Russian but his grandson, Gabriel Prokofiev, a London DJ, whom the RSNO had commissioned to perform his composition, “Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra”. He was joined by hip-hop DJ Beni G of the Mixologists, and the programme explored the links between classical and modern dance music. I had not known that such links existed; the evening was an education. We listened to the cutting-edge sound of “Iron Foundry”, a ballet score by Alexander Mosolov, which dates back to 1928.
That concert took place several years ago, but innovation is part of the RSNO’s programme every season. Annabel Goldie talked about the naked classics community programme, which has drawn in thousands of people who are not terribly familiar with classical music and want to hear it in a wider context, with explanations, a little bit of history, some multimedia and so on. The approach has worked incredibly well. Last year, 67 per cent of the audience for naked classics were people who were not season-ticket holders or would not normally attend another concert in the season. I think that Annabel Goldie said that she had not tasted naked classics—if I can put it in that way. Next year the company will do Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” and the entire cycle of Wagner’s “Ring”, which I am looking forward to hearing.
The cabinet secretary talked about the importance of education and outreach work, and several members talked about the RSNO’s tour of the Shetland Islands. I will talk about the company’s partnership with Rachel House children’s hospice, which provides services for children and young people who have life-limiting conditions. The RSNO visits Rachel House for three days, three times a year, and the same three musicians visit on each occasion. As a result, they build up close relationships with the children and their families and the music therapists and staff at Rachel House. They report that music is a marvellous communication tool, particularly for children whose condition makes communication quite challenging.
I know that the musicians get as much out of the experience as the families do. Last August, Rachel House hosted a magic-themed event, which was sponsored by the Miller Group and in which 40 children and young people who attended the hospice were dressed in the style of Harry Potter characters, fairies and pirates. A lot has been said about engagement with young people by our national performing companies, but I am sure that everybody will agree that that is possibly among the most magical uses of the national companies and the arts as a therapeutic tool.
We have talked a lot about the importance of reach and of reaching out to different parts of Scotland. One area that I represent is Dumfriesshire, which has this year seen some excellent RSNO performances up close as part of the out and about programme. In March 2011, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association and Dumfries and Galloway Council held a workshop in which young local people created and recorded the score for a film that they had made themselves and which they later premiered. In addition, two workshops and informal performances were held with patients at Crichton hall in Dumfries, with the guidance of RSNO musicians on how to perform the pieces.
I join the cabinet secretary, Ms Ferguson and others in paying tribute in particular to the RSNO’s outgoing musical director, Stéphane Denève. During his tenure, average attendance figures rose year on year, and subscription numbers in Edinburgh and Glasgow are now the highest in a generation. Mr Denève can take great pride in the job that he has done with the RSNO and in his role in reinforcing the auld alliance between Scotland and France. It is heart warming to read about the warmth that he feels for Scotland as displayed on his personal website. He married his wife here and celebrated the birth of his child here. I thank him for his hard work and commitment and for the passion that he has shown for the orchestra and Scotland. I also welcome the new musical director, Peter Oundjian, to his role. I am certain that he can follow on from the recent success that I have outlined.
I became familiar with the RSNO’s staff and grew to admire its work greatly when I was commissioning arts pieces for newspapers and working closely with the company. I should declare an interest: my daughter sings with the RSNO junior chorus. I pay tribute to Christopher Bell, who directs not just the junior chorus but the National Youth Choir of Scotland and has done incredible work to build Scotland’s reputation as a place for young singers.
The RSNO has a long and illustrious history. It was established in 1891 to support the Glasgow choral union, which it outlasted. It became the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950 and gained royal patronage in 1991. World-class conductors such as Sir Alexander Gibson, Walter Susskind and Neeme Järvi helped to make the orchestra one of the finest in Europe, as did several generations of talented musicians.
I will concentrate on the current, sparkling company and on developments in recent years, particularly under the creative direction of Stéphane Denève. The RSNO has been remarkably successful in reaching out to new audiences, attracting young people and engaging in educational, therapeutic and community work. It has attracted people who might not otherwise have gone to a classical music concert.
That was illustrated for me a few years ago, when I went to a Prokofiev concert in Glasgow royal concert hall. When we entered the foyer bar, ambient electronic music was playing. There were lots of young people around and I realised that I was one of the few audience members who were over 25—well over 25, it has to be said. The Prokofiev in question was conducting the orchestra—he was not the ghost of the famous Russian but his grandson, Gabriel Prokofiev, a London DJ, whom the RSNO had commissioned to perform his composition, “Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra”. He was joined by hip-hop DJ Beni G of the Mixologists, and the programme explored the links between classical and modern dance music. I had not known that such links existed; the evening was an education. We listened to the cutting-edge sound of “Iron Foundry”, a ballet score by Alexander Mosolov, which dates back to 1928.
That concert took place several years ago, but innovation is part of the RSNO’s programme every season. Annabel Goldie talked about the naked classics community programme, which has drawn in thousands of people who are not terribly familiar with classical music and want to hear it in a wider context, with explanations, a little bit of history, some multimedia and so on. The approach has worked incredibly well. Last year, 67 per cent of the audience for naked classics were people who were not season-ticket holders or would not normally attend another concert in the season. I think that Annabel Goldie said that she had not tasted naked classics—if I can put it in that way. Next year the company will do Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” and the entire cycle of Wagner’s “Ring”, which I am looking forward to hearing.
The cabinet secretary talked about the importance of education and outreach work, and several members talked about the RSNO’s tour of the Shetland Islands. I will talk about the company’s partnership with Rachel House children’s hospice, which provides services for children and young people who have life-limiting conditions. The RSNO visits Rachel House for three days, three times a year, and the same three musicians visit on each occasion. As a result, they build up close relationships with the children and their families and the music therapists and staff at Rachel House. They report that music is a marvellous communication tool, particularly for children whose condition makes communication quite challenging.
I know that the musicians get as much out of the experience as the families do. Last August, Rachel House hosted a magic-themed event, which was sponsored by the Miller Group and in which 40 children and young people who attended the hospice were dressed in the style of Harry Potter characters, fairies and pirates. A lot has been said about engagement with young people by our national performing companies, but I am sure that everybody will agree that that is possibly among the most magical uses of the national companies and the arts as a therapeutic tool.
We have talked a lot about the importance of reach and of reaching out to different parts of Scotland. One area that I represent is Dumfriesshire, which has this year seen some excellent RSNO performances up close as part of the out and about programme. In March 2011, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association and Dumfries and Galloway Council held a workshop in which young local people created and recorded the score for a film that they had made themselves and which they later premiered. In addition, two workshops and informal performances were held with patients at Crichton hall in Dumfries, with the guidance of RSNO musicians on how to perform the pieces.
I join the cabinet secretary, Ms Ferguson and others in paying tribute in particular to the RSNO’s outgoing musical director, Stéphane Denève. During his tenure, average attendance figures rose year on year, and subscription numbers in Edinburgh and Glasgow are now the highest in a generation. Mr Denève can take great pride in the job that he has done with the RSNO and in his role in reinforcing the auld alliance between Scotland and France. It is heart warming to read about the warmth that he feels for Scotland as displayed on his personal website. He married his wife here and celebrated the birth of his child here. I thank him for his hard work and commitment and for the passion that he has shown for the orchestra and Scotland. I also welcome the new musical director, Peter Oundjian, to his role. I am certain that he can follow on from the recent success that I have outlined.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02738, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the national performing companies. I call Fiona Hyslop to speak to...
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate and celebrate the significant achievements of the five national performing companies during the first five years of direc...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab)
Lab
I am delighted to have the opportunity to debate our national performing companies, and I am sure that the debate will be consensual.Scottish Labour decided ...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
The member might be reflecting some coverage that the audience figures received when they were released. She might also be aware that the chief executive of ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I entirely accept the point that the cabinet secretary makes, but I think that it suggests that the publications that give us those facts and figures need to...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I call Annabel Goldie, who has a very generous six minutes.15:30
Annabel Goldie (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for bringing the motion to the chamber for debate, and I am pleased to speak in the debate because I, too, want to pay tribute to the br...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We come to the open debate, for which we have a little bit of time in hand. Speeches of a generous six minutes can be made by everyone in the debate.15:37
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Unsurprisingly, I open with a quotation from Tennessee Williams, describing the creative process as he saw it. He said:“I believe the way to write a good pla...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I commend the cabinet secretary for bringing this debate to the chamber and I join her in praising the outstanding work of the national performing companies ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I can be more generous.
Malcolm Chisholm
Lab
The same themes can be reiterated with reference to the National Theatre of Scotland and the orchestras. We all know of the outreach work that they do. The R...
Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Our big five—Scotland’s five national performing companies—with their singing, dancing, music and storytelling to gladden the heart, are things of which we o...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I align myself with the remarks made by Annabelle Ewing—sorry, I mean Annabel Goldie. She has changed.
Annabel Goldie
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Some errors made in the chamber are justifiable and acceptable, but others are much more difficult to thole.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
That is not really a point of order.
Sandra White
SNP
I accept Annabel Goldie’s explanation, given that we are talking about the performing companies. I align myself with some of her remarks, as I, too, have bee...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Sandra White makes an important point. I refer her to a report that I think I brought to the Parliament’s attention when answering a question from Annabel Go...
Sandra White
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for that and look forward to seeing that strategy in the future.The link with education is important. It is great that the Roya...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
For a number of reasons, I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this debate. I will start by focusing on what I see as the significance of ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I would be grateful if you would draw to a close sometime soon, please.
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I am just about to, Presiding Officer. Thank you.The Scottish Government states that cultural engagement also“helps reinforce our resilience in difficult tim...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I am very pleased to have been called to speak in this debate on Scotland’s national performing companies and, indeed, to follow on from the very considerate...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As we have heard, the national performing arts companies have an important role. Not only do they allow Scots of all ages to experience the very best in thea...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak in this debate on the work of our national performing companies. All the companies do sterling wor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to the closing speeches. Annabel Goldie has a generous six minutes.16:32
Annabel Goldie
Con
The debate has been interesting and genuinely helpful. What our creative industries and NPCs do for Scotland and our economy has been universally recognised;...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I gently point out to Annabel Goldie that we have gone through the credit crunch and the recession. Interestingly, the arts and business figures for Scotland...
Annabel Goldie
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for that observation. I value what the sponsors and fund-raisers are doing; I simply point out that, if we cannot explain that ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I, too, thank colleagues around the chamber for their interesting and thoughtful contributions to what has been a very good and consensual debate. That is a ...