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Lisa Davidson
Viola
I joined the RSNO in December 2003, only 18 months ago – but what a great 18 months it's been!
So far my favourite concert has to be when we playaed Strauss'
Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings with Lazarev conducting. His final
concert as Principal Conductor was great as well. I also enjoy doing
the schools proms – it''s like playing a rock concert with so much
screaming coming from the audience! The kids love film themes like
Harry Potter or Star Wars and their faces light up with amazement.
I enjoyed touring with the orchestra to Vienna recently - I was struck
by the contrast between the opulence in Vienna, the quaintness of
Salzburg and the remnants of communism in Zagreb.
I started to play the violin when my older brother gave up and, because
I was tall, I was told to play the viola! Finally I gave in and I've
never looked back. I play a Rex England viola but it doesn't have a
name - although I do call him Rex (I know it's not very original...)!
I'm a Fife girl originally, then I moved to Ellon, Aberdeenshire then
back to Kirkcaldy where my parents still love today. I then studied
Viola with Catherine Marwood at the RSAMD before jumping at the chance
to go to Canada and study in Montreal and Toronto. My last viola
teacher, Steven Dann was probably my greatest musical influence. Not
just because he was an amazing viola player, but because was a great
person to be around. Leon Spierer and Cat Mackintosh are two that
provided encouragement in my early student days.
As far as favourite music goes, I have a recording of a chamber
orchestra from Quebec City called 'Violons du Roy' playing a string
arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations. The original version is not
my favourite piece but this arrangement is sublime - I couldn't live
without it. But this recording wouldn't be one of my desert island
must-haves - those would have to be my viola, my boyfriend Simon and a
laptop (the island would have wireless broadband of course!).
Spare time is split between reading, listening to music, shopping and
eating out. My first love though is travelling and whenever we have
enough time off, I always try and sneak in a short break to somewhere!
I would love to meet William Primrose (Glasgow's most famous viola
player) and would ask him how he managed to make it all sound so easy!
Finally, I used to be in a musical theatre group when I was a teenager
so I love singing songs from shows when I'm in the bath (only if
there's no-one else in though!).
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