Our Newsletter

Dear Friend

Our next concert will be on Saturday 8th November at 7pm in Melrose Parish Church. The concert features Mike Hardy, who lives near Duns and will be playing the fabulous Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto. Further details about the concert are attached below and tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking on the link on the concert news item or by visiting our website and clicking on "Tickets" in our menu. The concert will be in aid of Lymphoma Action.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 14th February 2026 7pm: Winter Concert which will feature pianist Jill Morton playing Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 and also Beethoven Symphony No.5
Saturday 27th June 2026 7pm: Programme to be announced


If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

We had some lovely feedback from a wonderful audience for our concert last Saturday. Thank you to all who came to support us. The concert opened with Sunrise by Moberg, which many of us hadn't previously heard of, but it seemed to captivate everyone from the very quiet opening building in volume into the full sunrise. Cliodhna Scott gave a beautiful and masterful performance of the Mozart Flute Concerto No.1 playing her own cadenzas. The concert concluded with an exciting climax playing Schumann Symphony No.3.

Thanks to our conductor, Tim Espin, who guided us to our performance through only one rehearsal with expertise and enthusiasm. Thanks also to our volunteers who served teas and coffees and food to our orchestra members and provided refreshments at the interval. We have been able to donate £161.11 to the Scottish Donkey Sanctuary - see news item below. Videos of the concert programme are now available to view on our website (click here to view)  - thanks to Cliodhna for permission to post the recording of her performance.

Unfortunately our concert coincided with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing in Hawick and I have heard from a number of people who would have attended both concerts had they not occured on the same evening. We have been in touch with the Concert Director of the SCO  who told us that she had been unaware of our concert until a few days before. She assured us that the SCO does endeavour not to clash with concerts by local music organisations during their summer tour. We have supplied our future concert dates and a link to our concert diary on our website so this should not happen in the future.

The orchestra's next outing will be on Saturday 6th September to accompany the Borders Chamber Choir in "Sing Messiah" as part of the Melrose Music Festival. See the Melrose Music Festival website for further details and tickets.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:

Saturday 6th September 2025 6pm: Sing Messiah
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert.
Saturday 14th February 2026 7pm: Winter Concert.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

Our next concert will be on Saturday 28th June at 7pm in Melrose Parish Church. The concert features Cliodhna Scott, a young flutist from Edinburgh who is currently studying in Finland and performed in the 2025 BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. She will be playing the Mozart Concerto for Flute and Orchestra No. 1 in G Major. Further details about the concert are attached below and tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking on the link on the concert news item or by visiting our website and clicking on "Tickets" in our menu. The concert will be in aid of The Scottish Donkey Sanctuary in St Boswells.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 6th September 2025 6pm: Sing Messiah! The Borders Chamber Orchestra accompanies the Borders Chamber Choir and international soloists as part of the Melrose Music Festival 2025
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert which will feature a Trumpet Concerto played by local trumpeter Mike Hardy
Saturday 14th February 2026 7pm: Winter Concert which will feature a Piano Concerto played by Nikita Lukinov who is studying at the Conservatoire in Glasgow

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

We had some lovely feedback from a wonderful audience for our concert last Saturday. Thank you to all who came to support us. We have been able to donate £500 to Macmillan Cancer Support - see news item below. Photos and videos of the concert programme are now available to view - see below.

The orchestra's next outing will be on Saturday 19th April to accompany the Borders Chamber Choir in J S Bach's St Matthew Passion. See the Borders Chamber Choir website for further details and tickets.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:

Saturday 19th April 2025 2pm: St Matthew Passion
Saturday 28th June 2025 7pm: Summer Concert.
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

Our next concert takes place on Saturday 15th February in our usual venue, Melrose Parish Church, and we hope to see you there. The programme features Bach's Oboe and Violin Concerto performed by our own orchestral members, Chris Crosby (Oboe) and Cath Cormie (Violin). It will be in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Tickets are now on sale through our website or by following the Winter Concert 2025 link below. Please note that we will be opening two entrances to the church for the concert, one for those who have pre-purchased tickets, and one for those wishing to buy their tickets at the door. For those purchasing tickets in advance it should mean that you don't have to queue outside. Tickets will be electronically scanned so please either have a printed version ready or the electronic version on your phone screen.

The programme for our Summer Concert is now published on our website. The concert will feature Clio Scott, a young flautist from the Scottish Borders, currently studying at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, who will be performing the Mozart Flute Concerto No.1 in G

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:

Saturday 15th February 2025 7pm: Winter Concert.
Saturday 28th June 2025 7pm: Summer Concert.
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

Welcome to our October newsletter. Since our last newsletter the orchestra has been busy, performing in two successful concerts for the Melrose Music Festival in September. We greatly enjoyed playing again with the Borders Chamber Choir in Mozart's Requiem on 7th September and were particularly pleased to perform under the baton of Derrick Morgan, Assistant Conductor of the RSNO, and with the highly accomplished cellist Alexandra Mackenzie in our concert on 14th September.

Our next concert takes place on Saturday 2nd November in our usual venue, Melrose Parish Church, and we hope to see you there. It will be in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Tickets are now on sale through our website. Please note that we will be opening two entrances to the church for this concert, one for those who have pre-purchased tickets, and one for those wishing to buy their tickets at the door. For those purchasing tickets in advance it should mean that you don't have to queue outside. Tickets will be electronically scanned so please either have a printed version ready or the electronic version on your phone screen.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:

Saturday 2^nd November 2024 7pm: Autumn Concert.
Saturday 15th February 2025 7pm: Winter Concert.
Saturday 28th June 2025 7pm: Summer Concert.
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

Welcome to our August newsletter which I'm writing in the warm sunshine in our gardern - rather a rarity this summer! Following the very successful preview concert for the Melrose Music Festival in May we are now getting close to the festival itself which starts on Saturday 7th September with a concert featuring the Borders Chamber Choir and the Borders Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra's second performance will be the closing concert on Saturday 14th September and we hope to see you at one or both. Tickets are now on sale - see below. We also now have concert dates for 2025!

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 7th September 2024 7pm: Opening concert of the Melrose Music Festival in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 14th September 2024 7pm: "Hidden Gems Rediscovered".
Saturday 2^nd November 2024 7pm: Autumn Concert.
Saturday 15th February 2025 7pm: Winter Concert.
Saturday 28th June 2025 7pm: Summer Concert.
Saturday 8th November 2025 7pm: Autumn Concert.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Paul

Dear Friend

Borders Chamber Orchestra took part in "A Serenade to Music" - the preview concert for the 2024 Melrose Music Festival - on Saturday 11th May. Performances were also given by the Borders Chamber Choir and the Melrose Vocal Ensemble and the scottish composer, Sir James MacMillan, talked about his life and career in music.  We had some excellent feedback on the high quality of all the performances. Details of the concert and the full programme can be found on the Past Performances tab on our Concerts drop down menu. If you didn't make it to the concert then you can listen to us playing "Aubade Heroique" by the British composer Constant Lambert, and also to "A Serenade for Music" by Ralph Vaughan Williams on the photos and videos page where you will also find some photos of the orchestra and choir taken at our rehearsal.

Our next performances will be during the Melrose Music Festival. Further information about the festival is detailed in the news article below.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 7th September 2024 7pm: Opening concert of the Melrose Music Festival in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 14th September 2024 7pm: "Hidden Gems Rediscovered".
Saturday 2^nd November 2024 7pm: Autumn Concert. Programme to be announced

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

The next newsletter will be sent out 4-6 weeks before the festival starts, with further details and ticketing information.

Paul
 

Dear Friend

Borders Chamber Orchestra accompanied the Borders Chamber Choir and 5 professional soloists in a fantastic performance of Bach's St John Passion on 30th March in Melrose Parish Church. There was a large audience in Melrose Parish Church who obviously greatly enjoyed the performance. Photos are now available on our website.

Our next concert will also be in conjunction with the Borders Chamber Choir performing Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music in a Preview Concert for the Melrose Music Festival. Further information about the concert is detailed in the news articles below along with the professional musicians joining us.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 11th May 2024: Preview Concert for Melrose Music Festival: Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music, Lambert - Aubade Heroique and Rachmaninoff - Intermezzo from Aleko. The orchestra will be joined by Borders Chamber Choir and the Melrose Vocal Ensemble.
Saturday 7th September 2024: Opening concert of the Melrose Music Festival: Mozart - Requiem in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 14th September 2024: Closing concert of Melrose Music Festival. Programme to be announced.
Saturday 2^nd November 2024: Autumn Concert. Programme to be announced

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Hope to see you at our next concert.

Paul
 

Dear Friend

We had our second concert last Saturday and were delighted to see so many in the audience. Thanks to all our musicians who gave a wonderful performance with only one rehearsal on the afternoon of the concert! Claire Taylor gave a beautiful rendition of the aria “Parto, parto” as well as leading the 2^nd violins for the remainder of the concert. Thanks also to our volunteers who provided teas and coffees throughout the afternoon and at the interval, fed the orchestra between the rehearsal and the concert and looked after front of house. We have had some lovely feedback regarding how much both the musicians and members of the audience enjoyed the concert and, in addition, we raised over £1,000 for Marie Curie!

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 30th March 2024: Bach - St John's Passion in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 11th May 2024: Preview Concert for Melrose Music Festival: Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir and other performers involved in the Festival
Saturday 7th September 2024: Opening concert of the Melrose Music Festival: Mozart - Requiem in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 14th September 2024: Closing concert of Melrose Music Festival. Programme to be announced.
Saturday 2^nd November 2024: Autumn Concert. Programme to be announced

If you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter then you can you can email me at webmaster@borderschamberorchestra.org.uk

Hope to see you at our next concert.

Paul
 

Dear Friend

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2024 and it promises to be a busy year for the orchestra with concert dates in the diary already as far as September. This will include two concerts as part of the Melrose Music Festival, which is being rescheduled from May/June to September, and a Festival Preview Concert in May which will showcase a number of the artists who will be performing at the Festival.  We will also be continuing our collaboration with the Borders Chamber Choir.

Our Winter Concert will take place on 17th February at 7pm in Melrose Parish Church. Further details below. We have introduced ticketing for this concert - adults £10, 18 years or under are free. The ticket price will include a programme and interval refreshments. Tickets can now be purchased in advance on our website or at the door on the evening of the concert. If you purchase your ticket in advance then you will be sent a confirmatory email with a pdf of your ticket(s) which you can either print out or present on your mobile phone at the door. There is also the option to store your ticket(s) in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on your phone.

I will email an electronic version of our concert poster separately - please forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in coming to the concert. Our chosen charity for this concert is Marie Curie - further information below.

Future BCO concert dates for your diaries, all at Melrose Parish Church:
Saturday 30th March 2024: Bach - St John's Passion in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir
Saturday 11th May 2024: Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir and soloists (Preview Concert for Melrose Music Festival)
Saturday 7th September 2024: Mozart - Requiem in conjunction with Borders Chamber Choir (opening concert of the Melrose Music Festival)
Saturday 14th September 2024: closing concert of Melrose Music Festival. Programme to be announced.
 

Welcome to our first newsletter. The orchestra got off to a great start with its inaugural concert on Saturday in Melrose Parish Church with a programme of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. We were joined by the Borders Chamber Choir for their first performance too! We have had some wonderful feedback from members of the audience and from our musicians who enjoyed both the musical and social aspects of the day.