Maxim Emelyanychev and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra reshape Mozart

Maxim Emelyanychev conducts the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Maxim Emelyanychev

By David Smythe, 30 January 2026

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“lifted the music from the score and delivered it with a vibrancy of rediscovery”

Reviewed at Usher Hall, Edinburgh on 29 January 2026

Mozart, Symphony no. 39 in E flat major, K543

Mozart, Symphony no. 40 in G minor, K550

Mozart, Symphony no. 41 in C major, "Jupiter”, K551

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Maxim Emelyanychev, Conductor

Saxophone dreams with Jess Gillam and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

David Smythe, 11th March

Jess Gillom and Scottish Chamber Orchestra in St Andrews in a wide-ranging programme of contemporary music. Ben Glassberg conducts.

****1

Baroque inspirations from Emelyanychev and the SCO

David Smythe, 20th February

Maxim Emelyanychev and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra offer a Baroque-inspired programme of Bach, Handel, Britten, a modern take on Scarlatti and wonderfully zany Schnittke.

****1

Gnarly Buttons central to the SCO’s John Adams programme

David Smythe, 12th December

Andrew Manze conducts an all-Adams programme in Glasgow, Maximiliano Martín the fearless soloist in Gnarly Buttons, bookended by mesmerising Shaker Loops and exuberant Fearful Symmetries.

****1

Reich+ from Colin Currie and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

David Smythe, 6th November

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra with Colin Currie fizz with energy in Duddell, Grime and Steve Reich.

****1

A tale of two Glorias: Poulenc and Vivaldi with the SCO in Edinburgh

Simon Thompson, 9th October

Three sopranos, two Glorias and one French composer who isn’t great box office: the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus sound great, but where is the audience?

****1

An acrobatic Orpheus and Eurydice in Edinburgh

Roy Westbrook, 13th August

The music plays second fiddle to Australian circus company Circa in Yaron Lifschitz’s production of Gluck's great opera.

***11

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David Smythe

David the farmer was drawn into music through choirs, orchestras, taking part in and directing 'serious' opera as a student. Passionate about live classical music, particularly chamber opera, unusual pieces and events and giving the next generation the tools to engage with the classical world.