Category: Scotland; Orchestras
Date: 22.06.2005
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Hugh Macdonald, the Director of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, is to retire in January 2006 after a 20 year career at BBC Scotland.
He will bow out as the orchestra reaches one of the most significant milestones in its history – the move from BBC Scotland's premises in the West End of Glasgow into the £13m City Halls complex.
Hugh first raised the prospect of a refurbished City Halls becoming the new home of the SSO with Glasgow City Council in the early Nineties.
The achievement of that goal some 12 years later will serve as a fitting testament to a highly successful era for the SSO under Hugh's leadership.
During the last ten years the SSO's profile and artistic reputation have greatly increased with the appointment of Osmo Vanska as Chief Conductor in 1996, his successor Ilan Volkov in 2003 and many new players in key positions.
The appointments as associate composers of Tan Dun, Stuart MacRae, Jonathan Harvey and Anna Meredith have enhanced the orchestra's reputation for performing contemporary music, and the last two years have seen the introduction of an innovative education and outreach strategy.
The orchestra has gained a high international profile through tours to China and the United States as well as to major European cities, and through highly praised CDs for Hyperion and BIS, including several recordings of Scottish music.
In 2001, the BBC SSO became the only Scottish orchestra to have won the Royal Philharmonic Society's prestigious orchestral award.
Hugh said: "It has been a great privilege to have been working with the BBC SSO over the years.
"They are a fantastically talented group of musicians, and with Ilan Volkov at the helm and an exciting new chapter opening as they move to their new home at the City Hall, the orchestra's future is bright.
"I will be there in the audience, cheering them on."
Hugh studied music at the Universities of Edinburgh and Amsterdam and at the Royal College of Music.
He taught music in universities for ten years, first in Hong Kong and then at the University of Stirling.
Joining BBC Scotland as a music producer in 1985, he produced programmes for Radio 3 and Radio Scotland, and became the BBC SSO's music producer in 1988.
In 1991 he succeeded Martin Dalby as Head of Music at BBC Scotland, with responsibility for the orchestra as well as the Music Department.
In 1996, when the orchestra became an independent unit, he was made Director of the BBC SSO.
Ken MacQuarrie, Controller of BBC Scotland, said: "Hugh deserves the highest praise for his outstanding leadership of the SSO.
"The orchestra has gone from strength to strength and is now looking forward to a new life in the City Halls, a move which would not have happened without Hugh's vision and determination."
Hugh will step down at the end of January after a series of high-profile events to mark the opening of the SSO's new home, including the first performance of a specially commissioned piece from the SSO's young Resident Composer Anna Meredith, combining the members of the orchestra with children and community groups from Glasgow's East End.
