BBC orch chief jumps ship
mainIt has been announced that Gavin Reid, chief executive of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is leaving the organisation to become head of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Execs don’t usually leave big symphony orchs to work for chamber ensembles.
But the BBC is not a happy place these days with cuts everywhere and orchs fearing for their future.
It could prove a good move.
Gavin Reid says: ‘I am enormously thrilled to take up this post with the SCO after 10 wonderful years at the BBC SSO. I am passionate about music and the arts and the extraordinary opportunities that they can offer to everyone. I am particularly excited by the crucial and influential role that the SCO plays within Scotland and I look forward to working closely with players, staff, artists and all of the SCO’s supporters to build on the fantastic achievements of recent years, as led by Roy McEwan.’
Oh no, it couldn’t be anything to do with the SCO being a world class ensemble with a much stronger profile artistically and internationally than the BBCSSO. Once again, pathetic reporting, Norman.
Besides, a chamber orchestra doesn’t struggle with trying to be all things to all people. Instead, they are left focus on the core repertoire and contemporary music and–heaven forbid–higher artistic standards as a result of not forcing players to be “note machines.” I’m feeling faint!
Maybe Reid decided that an organisation where artistic standards come second only to the figures was better than one (and I refer to the wider BBC, from R3 upwards) where they come way down a list of other corporate and personal priorities.