News & Blog

Sunday 19 October 2025: Antwerp, Belgium

By Gregor Strewart, Chair of the RSNO Board

Since joining the RSNO last year I could not wait spend time on tour with the Orchestra. I’ve heard from Alistair and other board members that a tour is the best way to get to know our players, and it’s been fantastic to see all their hard work come to fruition in concert halls across Europe.

I flew out to Salzburg last Thursday, the same day that our Patrons and Circle members arrived. It was so nice to have a strong travelling contingent from Scotland, and I could see a real swell of pride as our home Orchestra played the Eightsome Reels and Fairwell to Stromness in such an iconic location. Spending time with our Patrons and Circle members after the concert, I was interested to hear the mix of stories about how individuals came to be involved with the RSNO. Some have been attending concerts for decades, whilst others were new to the group and saw the tour as a chance to get to know everyone better. They are all such great advocates for our work, and we are very lucky to have such a committed group of supporters.

After the performance in Zagreb RSNO Chief Executive Alastair Mackie, Director of Planning Tammo Schuelke and I met with a representative from the European tour promoter. He was so impressed with the quality of the performance and the reception from the local audience and already hopes to invite us back. Strategically, tours give the RSNO an important platform to engage with new artists and agents, build our international reputation and support the Scottish Government’s ambitions to promote our country overseas. We regularly discuss new international opportunities at Board meetings and I’m so glad that I have been involved in this tour and can bring the perspective of our musicians, home supporters and European contacts to the table.

I have been able to spend time with musicians during our long coach journeys and hear more about what can make life on the road tough but ultimately rewarding. The RSNO stage crew and staff make it look seamless, but behind the scenes the logistics are incredible! I got to see firsthand how challenging it can be on the journey home, as new border control legislation and major travel disruption impacted our journey. We boarded the plane with minutes to spare but morale remained intact…

The pride I felt throughout the tour was immense, to see what a wonderful reception our Orchestra received across Europe was fantastic. We are so lucky that we get to see them play week in and week out in Scotland. I must also mention the brilliant soloists that played throughout the tour – with little rehearsal time they built a great connection with our players and were a joy to watch. What a fantastic experience!

Saturday 18 October 2025: Zagreb, Croatia

By Lorna Rough, First Violin

After a wonderful few days in Salzburg, our tour continued eastward as we made our way to Zagreb, retracing some of the same scenic route we’d taken earlier from Ljubljana. The journey offered us stunning autumnal mountain views and gave us plenty of time to catch up on sleep or Netflix. Somewhere near the Croatian border, we made a memorable stop at one of the strangest motorway service stations any of us had ever seen — a curious mix of souvenir shop, smoky café, greasy food and high-end designer goods.

We were also joined on this leg by our Chair of the Board, Gregor Stewart, who experienced first-hand what touring life is really like – the long six-hour coach journeys, airport queues, and the unique challenge of stepping straight from travel into rehearsal or performance. It was great to have him share in the rhythm (and occasional chaos) of life on the road.

By late afternoon, we arrived in Croatia’s capital, with its blend of Central European elegance and Balkan warmth. Some of us took the opportunity to stretch our legs with a walk around the old town, admiring the impressive Zagreb Cathedral and the beautiful Art Pavilion, although some may have benefitted from visiting the Museum of Hangovers!

Colin McKee, Second Violin, discovered this very descriptive wall art which he thought was very apt for day 10 of orchestral touring.

Our concert that night was in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, an impressive modern venue with a wonderfully warm acoustic, which really favoured the string section. The audience gave us a fantastic welcome, and the performance had that special energy that comes when you’re nearing the end of a tour and everyone is both relaxed and exhilarated.

Our final concert with Francesco Piemontesi was his fifth of the tour, and once again he had the audience completely enthralled. Their applause and cheers never failed to bring him back to the stage and, true to form, he surprised us all with a different encore each night, tonight was Szymanowski’s Study No3.

Afterwards, it was time for some of the string sections to have their tour parties. The cellos hosted a lively gathering in one corner of the hotel, while the second violins were not far away with their own impromptu party.

Zagreb turned out to be a highlight, full of charm and late-night stories that will no doubt be retold many times over the next few tours. Next stop is a flight to Antwerp and the final stop in our European adventure.

Friday 17 October 2025: Salzburg, Austria

By Craig Swindells, Head of Production

Today was the point in the tour where we had time to relax a little. After such a busy schedule so far, and whilst we remain in the same venue for 3 days, we had the chance to relax and soak up some sights. This is unusual for the stage team as we’re usually travelling or setting up the venue ahead of everyone’s arrival so to get an opportunity to head out somewhere was nice.

The start to today was an early rise and an 8am collection from the hotel by our tour guide. Our guide drove us through the back roads of the mountains across an old disused Austrian/German border crossing, through glorious scenic farmlands and forest covered hills. And all to the soundtrack of (you guessed it) The Sound of Music. It was just a little too early to be yodelling along! A fun start to the day, nonetheless.

We had arranged for a trip up to the Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s retreat, which he had built high up in the Bavarian mountains at the start of WWII. It was kept secret until the end of the war and was used to entertain visiting diplomats and the likes. Although somewhat of a controversial sight, the decision to keep the building and not demolish was made and it seems a poignant reminder of that horrible period in history. The income it generates is put back into the local economy and used for services and charities such a social care and nursing.

Later in the day there was time to do a little wandering around the old town. Taking in the beautiful surroundings and shopping for souvenirs and presents to take home. The old town is littered with all sorts of souvenir shops, pretzel stands and Christmas shops. The main square is also very pretty and has many horse and carriages all waiting to pick up tourists and guide them round the town. My end to the afternoon was a visit to the Goldene Kugel – a place where I remembered from our visit 2 years ago. They serve up some stunning local dishes, so I indulged in the most tender of pork shoulder, very large dumpling and traditional gravy. Again, a chance for a proper sit-down meal is somewhat of a treat when you’re constantly on the move and was a very welcome rest from cheese and ham baguettes!

5pm and time to head to work, this time for our final concert in Salzburg before heading off to Zagreb, making sure the stage is ready and running through the show plan again make sure we’re ready to start. It’s funny this venue here in Salzburg, as every day at 6pm the local fire service come and interrupt rehearsal as they carry out their fire safety inspection, which includes dropping in the iron (safety curtain) which just happens to be exactly halfway over the stage. So, a quick clear of the meter wide mid-section and down it comes, with the strings on one side and the wind/brass & percussion on the other. Feels strange and I’ve not been anywhere else that does this. But it does add a little light heartedness to the rehearsal!

Show complete, and after treating the audience to all three of our encores, it was time to begin packing down and loading out. Packing all the cases up backstage, wheeling them down via the lift and onto the truck which will then leave for Zagreb. This has to be one of the fastest load outs here, we were packed down and truck loaded within the hour. The crew were obviously very thirsty! As were we… The quick load out gave us a chance to catch up with some folk round the corner and enjoy a cold beer following the hard work to seal the day.

As far as busy touring days go, was a great day and a chance to recover.

Thursday 16 October 2025: Salzburg, Austria

By Polly Lightbody, Individual Giving & Partnerships Officer

This is a special entry to our blog as I was delighted to travel out with several of our RSNO Circle members to join the Orchestra during the residency in Salzburg.

After a long day of travel on Wednesday, we arrived in Salzburg just in time for dinner, ready for a busy day of activities ahead. On Thursday, several more Circle members joined us for a private guided tour of the Mozart Birthplace Museum. Much of the tour highlighted various items that may or may not have belonged to Mozart but the most fascinating fact for everyone was that, despite his relatively short life, Mozart spent over ten years of it travelling on the road! Almost a third of his life!

The tour was followed by lunch and we were joined by Chief Executive Alistair Mackie to greet all our supporters before enjoying a traditional Austrian lunch.

Everyone had the afternoon to themselves while myself and Con (Head of Development (Individuals and Partnerships)) went to prepare our goodie bags for our supporters and set up the reception space for some drinks before the concert. The concert was undoubtedly brilliant and we were treated to not one, not two… but three encores! A treat for all the locals.

Following the concert we finished with a post-concert drink with the Circle members and many musicians to raise a glass and thank our members for coming all the way to Salzburg to join us. We all felt very proud of our Orchestra! A brilliant end to the day.

Wednesday 15 October 2025: Salzburg, Austria

By Paul Medd, Second Violin

Our day started off in a foggy Ljubljana and we had heard that it might be spitting in Salzburg, but within 20 minutes of departure the fog had lifted and the sun shone for the whole of our glorious journey through the Alps. After we arrived in Salzburg, a few of us used public transport to get into the city centre near Grosses Festspielhaus (our venue for the next 3 days) and tucked into street food and ice cream!

Arriving at the hall brought back so many memories of concerts we’ve done during the 29 years I’ve been a member of the RSNO (with Walter Weller twice and Stéphane Denève once). For the first concert of our Austrian stay, we played Brahms’ First Piano Concerto and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No3 Scottish. Pianist Francesco Piemontesi played beautifully with such strength and delicacy. I really enjoyed the Mendelssohn this evening, the wonderful acoustics of the Festspielhaus were crystal clear and there were moments that felt like chamber music.

After the concert, a few of us walked down memory lane and went for drinks at the Augustiner Brau, an old monastery turned beer hall. It was hilarious seeing many musicians drinking beer from large ceramic steins!

Tomorrow we are all thankful to remain in Salzburg and can spread ourselves out in our hotel rooms! Looking forward to another two days in this beautiful city.

Tuesday 14 October 2025: Ljubljana, Slovenia

by Gunda Baranauskaitė, Cello

After a wonderful day off in Paris, we headed to Charles de Gaulle Airport for our flight to Ljubljana. Since my husband had flown in to spend two nights with me in the city (which made the time extra special), I was thrilled that we could give him a lift to the airport for his journey back to Glasgow.

Going through security, some of us spotted a rather tall individual ahead of us in the queue. Even the tallest members of the Orchestra suddenly felt tiny, which naturally prompted some curiosity about who it could be. It turned out to be Jonathan Josue Jeanne from the French basketball team Le Mans Sarthe Basket!

Meanwhile, in another queue for our flight, we were entertained by a bin-man-slash-cat robot that kept pulling faces at us and insistently demanding we make way for it. Once on board, I was delighted to find we were seated by section—perfect for a cello-section photo op!

I’m describing our travel in such detail because, after checking in to the hotel, I decided to preserve my energy for the concert and had a good nap in my room. Meanwhile, my lovely colleagues ventured into the beautiful city of Ljubljana for some pre-concert sightseeing!

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, boasts a rich and multifaceted cultural heritage. The Old Town stuns with its exquisite blend of Baroque, Renaissance, and Art Nouveau architecture. The city is home to three major orchestras and the impressive Cankarjev Dom concert hall—well known to the RSNO. I personally love performing there for its acoustics, which enhance and subtly blend our sound in a way I find deeply satisfying.

After a quick touch-up rehearsal, the Orchestra had an even quicker dinner, as we had only 45 minutes before the concert began. Tonight’s program featured Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Ravel’s lush Piano Concerto in G major—exquisitely performed by Francesco Piemontesi—and Mendelssohn’s wondrous Scottish Symphony. The celli even got a stand-up from our Music Director Thomas Søndergård (quite rightly so, in my unbiased opinion!).

During the intermission, my colleague and friend from the viola section, Asher Zaccardelli, and I took our mandatory tour photo—a tradition started by our Associate Principal Cello Betsy Taylor in 2022, while I was still on trial for my current position in the RSNO.

After the concert, we were whisked back to our hotel for some much-needed rest before heading off to Salzburg, Austria, where we’ll be staying for three nights (what a luxury!) during our residency at the Grosses Festspielhaus.

Stay tuned!

Monday 13 October 2025: Paris, France

by Martin Murphy, Assistant Principal Horn

After a very exciting concert and a standing ovation we headed out into Paris for our Brass tour meal. Amadea, our new Principal Horn, booked (through her French father) a table at a beautiful restaurant with views of the Eiffel Tower. After a lot of laughs and red wine, we wandered to watch the evening light show on the Tower.

Our day off was very welcome the next morning. With a lie in to recharge the batteries, we headed out for a walk round Les Halles district to take in the architecture. We had a wine and cheese tasting booked with a wonderful sommelier called Paul who talked us through one champagne, two whites and orange, and a red wine pairing with locally made cheeses. We introduced ourselves to the rest of the group, entertaining tourists from around the world with our travel stories!

After the tasting we took in more of Paris, just walking in any direction that looked appealing. After 20,000 steps and lots of beautiful architecture we found a restaurant that smelled amazing and, luckily, they had a table. We dined for hours in the typical relaxed European style and the headed back to the hotel.

We also went to the cocktail bar that claims to have created the Bloody Mary!

Sunday 12 October 2025: Paris, France

by Alexandre Cruz dos Santos, Double Bass

We woke up in Eindhoven on what would be the Eindhoven Marathon day… well, the Orchestra had a marathon of its own: a bus to Antwerp, a train to Paris and finally a coach straight to the La Seine Musicale concert hall.

It will come as no surprise that the main challenges of touring are both keeping up your stamina and energy despite all the travel and adapting to different concert halls acoustics. The acoustics weren’t a problem at all at La Seine Musicale. It felt so natural and effortless to play here, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No3 sounded amazingly like a dialogue and the Orchestra kept an openness to change and adapt to answer soloist Jan Lisiecki’s ‘musical invitations’. Needless to say, the audience loved it. As usual the encore (Cristopher Gough’s Eightsome Reels 2.0) was an absolute success getting us a standing ovation. I truly felt our mission of being ambassadors of Scottish Culture was a success in Paris!

The day ended with a Croque Monsieur and a St. Germain Spritz while watching the Tour Eiffel sparkle.

Saturday 11 October 2025: Eindhoven, the Netherlands

by Ursula Heidecker Allen, First Violin

We left Heilbronn bright and early at 9am for the long bus journey to Eindhoven. What had started off as a misty day turned sunny and bright for a bit, and it was lovely to see the autumn colours on the trees all along the journey. The further north we came though, the more it clouded over again, so most people settled for their books, downloads, or caught up on sleep. The Formula 1 enthusiasts amongst us were very happy to pass both the Hockenheim and Nürburgring racing tracks along the way!

Mentioning bright and early, our 9am start was nothing compared to Group B of the Orchestra who joined us in Eindhoven for the bigger programme of Britten and Rachmaninov. They had a 4am check-in and 6am flight out of Glasgow to Amsterdam, and arrived at the hotel in Eindhoven by midday!

Our group had been a bit delayed on the journey, so it was a very quick check-in to what looked like beautiful hotel rooms, and we were off to a shortened rehearsal. Huge thanks here to Thomas Bliem, the Senior Tour Coordinator of KD Schmid (our tour operator) for helping shorten the check in process for us – it would have taken a very long time to check in 80 people! He did the same again for us at the concert hall and it made a huge difference for us. The day was a long one, so it was great to just sail through wherever possible! He also admired how tough an orchestra we are, just getting on with it and doing our best no matter what. That was lovely to hear from him!

Once on stage, we were joined by pianist Jan Lisiecki for Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. He’s a wonderful player, it’s a real privilege to accompany him in this beautiful concerto! The rest of the rehearsal was just touching up the main corners of Britten and Rachmaninov. It made for an exciting concert that was enthusiastically received by the audience later that evening.

Town was very busy after the concert as was Marathon Weekend in Eindhoven, but many of us turned in early and made what use we could get of their beautiful hotel rooms, to enable us to make the early-ish start for Paris. Alexandre will tell you more about that tomorrow, we’re just coming into Antwerp now to catch the Eurostar to Paris. Bye for now!

Friday 10 October 2025: Heilbronn, Germany

by Betsy Taylor, Associate Principal Cello

And we’re off — the 2025 European Tour is officially underway!

There’s always a special buzz when the RSNO clan gathers at the airport — cases packed, goodbyes said, and minds already half on stage. Yesterday was a travel day, taking us from Glasgow to Heilbronn (via Frankfurt), where we touched down a little later than planned but still in good time to discover an essential fact: the hotel bar is open 24/7. Bonus!

After a good night’s sleep, the plan was simple — an afternoon rehearsal followed by our first concert of the tour. But first, a treat: a free morning to recover from travel and explore our surroundings. Here are some pictures showing the charm of Heilbronn — and any town that boasts a statue of a cellist immediately wins my heart!

There was another reason that morning felt particularly special: it was my birthday!

A relaxed brunch with girlfriends, thoughtful gifts, made for a perfect start. My husband had even enlisted Katherine Bryan as secret courier, bringing surprise presents from him and our daughter — a lovely touch that made the day feel extra special.

Soon enough, it was time to head to the Konzert- und Kongresszentrum Harmonie for rehearsal: Brahms’ Piano Concerto followed by Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony. Just before we began, the Orchestra launched into a wonderful rendition of Happy Birthday — such a kind and memorable moment.

After rehearsal, a quick trip back to the hotel for dinner and a change, then back to the hall for our first concert. The opening moments were… a little dimmer than expected — quite literally. The stage lighting was so low that reading the music felt like guesswork. Thankfully, someone had a quiet word with the lighting crew, and after the interval it was, quite literally, like night and day – but nothing could dim the energy of that first performance. The audience were warm and engaged, and our Scottish-themed encore, Eightsome Reels, had plenty of toes tapping.

Most of the Orchestra sensibly retired after the concert, but I wasn’t quite ready to call it a night — it was still my birthday, after all! A celebratory group gathered in the ever-open bar for cocktails and laughter, with Thomas joining us later to round off a truly memorable first day.

And just like that, day turned to night, and my birthday came to an end. A brilliant start to the tour — and what a way to celebrate!

Tomorrow: on to Eindhoven, for our next concert at the Muziekgebouw Frits Philips.