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BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at 90

To mark the orchestra's birthday, Sir Stephen Hough plays Grieg's Piano Concerto, Ayanna Witter-Johnson has written a new piece, and there’s a performance of Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time.

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 90th birthday from their home at City Halls in Glasgow, with a very special concert presented by Tom Service.

World-renowned pianist Sir Stephen Hough performs Edvard Grieg’s only completed piece for soloist and orchestra, his iconic and much-loved Piano Concerto in A minor.

The orchestra continues to champion new music with a world premiere by one of the country's most exciting and fearless composers, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, who is known for crossing musical boundaries and successfully combining her classical training with contemporary styles like R&B and soul. She has written a brand new work called Bacchanale to mark the occasion.

To finish the concert, the National Youth Choir of Scotland and soloists Pumeza Matshikiza, Beth Taylor, John Findon and Ashley Riches join the orchestra for Michael Tippett’s epic oratorio A Child of Our Time. It is one of the 20th century's most visionary pieces, composed in pain, protest and empathy as the Second World War raged in Europe. It was Tippett’s response to the Nazi genocide of the Jews, and his music is a never-more-relevant plea for compassion, understanding and peace in our own time.

10 months left to watch

2 hours, 3 minutes

Credits

RoleContributor
PresenterTom Service
SingerBeth Taylor
ConductorRyan Wigglesworth
SingerAshley Riches
SingerJohn Findon
SingerPumeza Matshikiza
MusicianStephen Hough
OrchestraBBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
ChoirNational Youth Choir of Scotland
Chorus MasterChristopher Bell
Production ManagerSue Perry-Grech
ProducerMartyn Stevens
Executive ProducerAlison Howe

Broadcast

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