Scotland’s national orchestra takes both honours in ‘First in a Lifetime’ category
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s (RSNO) relationships with the corporate community were commended at the annual Arts & Business Scotland Awards ceremony yesterday evening at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh. The Arts & Business Scotland Awards celebrate the best business and arts partnerships, and the RSNO won one category, was commended in the same category and was shortlisted for two further awards.
The RSNO both won, and was commended in, the First in a Lifetime Award, sponsored by Creative Scotland, for “a partnership that has aimed to take the arts to people and places where it doesn’t normally go, or created arts opportunities for people who would not normally be engaged”. The category win was for the Orchestra’s partnership with TOTAL E&P UK Limited, Capital Solutions, Loganair and NorthLink Ferries in connection with its Out and About week in Shetland back in March. It was also commended for its partnership with Glasgow Airport for the impromptu performance of Ravel’s Boléro in 2011. The Orchestra was shortlisted in two further categories.
The success follows the critically-acclaimed start to the Orchestra’s 2012:13 Season and the arrival of new Music Director Peter Oundjian, as well as the recent launch of the high-profile Astar project, which will see every child born in Scotland over the coming year receive a specially-created recording featuring Scottish songs, nursery rhymes and children’s favourite classical works to help new parents communicate, play and rest with their new arrivals. This CD will mark the start of an offer from the RSNO to form a relationship with these children throughout the rest of their lives.
RSNO Chief Executive Michael Elliott: “It is hugely gratifying to receive recognition for all the hard work and dedication our organisation has shown to bring about these projects. Our time in Shetland in March was an outstanding success, as was our flashmob performance at Glasgow Airport.
“Another first, the Astar project, which we launched earlier this month, also has the potential to bring our music to tens of thousands of new families across Scotland.
“Without the support of our key partners we would not have the scope to challenge the boundaries of what arts organisations can achieve. It is testament to the strength of our corporate relationships that we have the ability to be bold, innovative and creative in sharing our passion for music.“
The RSNO has a history of recognition with the Arts & Business Scotland Awards. Since 1988 the Orchestra has received seven awards and been commended or highly commended fourteen times. In 2008, former RSNO Chair Tom Thomson received the coveted Arts & Business Scotland Award for Leadership and in 2006 the Orchestra’s partnership with TOTAL E&P UK Limited was recognised by receiving the Arts & Business Scotland Brand Identity Award.
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