The Dunedin Consort has announced its 2024/25 season with concerts across Scotland, a continuation of its residency at Wigmore Hall as well as other London appearances. Contemporary music continues play an interesting role in the group’s seasons. 2024/25 features the Scottish premiere of David Fennessy’s Bog Cantata in Edinburgh as part of a programme featuring music by Zelenka, Telemann and Bach with Fennessy using similar orchestration to the Baroque works, and An Italian Christmas at Wigmore Hall includes a second new commission from composer Caroline Shaw.
Singers from the group join forces with the Hebrides Ensemble for James MacMillan‘s Since it was the day of Preparation, his extraordinary setting of the Resurrection story. Whilst players from the group join forces with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for a further collaboration, a world premiere from Edinburgh-based composer Neil Tòmas Smith [see my 2023 interview with Neil].
The season opens in September with countertenor Alexander Chance joining Matthew Truscott and the group in a programme of Vivaldi, Tuma and Zelenka in St Andrews and at the Lammermuir Festival. Then soprano Carolyn Sampson sings Bach with John Butt directing in a programme that includes Locatelli, Morlock and Handel in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.
Christmas sees Messiah returning with Butt directing soloists Rachel Redmond, Helen Charlston, Samuel Boden and Matthew Brook, plus a BSL interpreter in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Antwerp. There is more Handel at St Martin in the Fields, London, and Vienna with Butt conducting Susanna with Anna Dennis in the title role, plus Alexander Chance, Matthew Brook and Joshua Ellicott. April 2025 sees John Butt directing Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Hugo Hymas as the Evangelist.
Nicholas Mulroy directs a chamber tour of Purcell around Scotland visiting Cumbernauld, Musselburgh, Motherwell, and Greenock, and an a capella choral tour to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen.
Butt will direct the group performing side by side with students from the Royal Academy of Music Baroque Soloists in Purcell’s Hail, Bright Cecilia plus Sir John Clerk of Penicuik’s cantata, Leo Scotiae irritatus c.1700. This Cantata for solo soprano and orchestra depicts Scotland’s ambitious (and unsuccessful) venture to set up an empire in Panama! The group’s Bridging the Gap programme also provides early career development opportunities for singers, whilst the Intrada programme provides opportunities for young instrumentalists.
The group’s family-friendly concerts has expanded with Family Vivaldi, Enchanted Snake, and the popular Children’s Messiah in Glasgow and Edinburgh. There is also a wide-ranging Learning and Participation programme, encompassing instrumental and voice clinics for non-professional musicians, choral workshops, and choral weekend for all ages and abilities, open rehearsals, relaxed performances, and schools’ workshops.
Full details from the Dunedin Consort’s website.
