RSNO surprise Glasgow Airport passengers with live orchestral performance

Scotland’s national orchestra gave a rousing performance at Glasgow Airport as thousands of passengers prepared to take to the skies for the September holiday weekend.

Led by Scottish conductor Douglas Boyd, 70 Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) musicians gave two performances in the departures lounge, featuring Felix Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. 

After the airport performance the musicians travelled to London, where they were the host orchestra for a special Classic FM Live gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrating the radio station’s 20th birthday.

Last year the Orchestra surprised travellers and airport staff in the check-in area with an impromptu rendition of Ravel’s Boléro, an online video of which has been viewed around the world.
The RSNO performance was the culmination of Glasgow Airport’s six week Best of Scotland campaign which has celebrated the best of Scottish food, drink, culture and entertainment.
Amanda McMillan, managing director of Glasgow Airport, said:

"We are always looking for ways to entertain our passengers but it doesn’t get more exciting than having Scotland’s national orchestra perform live in the terminal building. Joining forces with the RSNO for this unique event was a fantastic way to round off our Best of Scotland campaign which has proved hugely successful. In addition to celebrating everything that is great about Scottish culture, the various events over the last six weeks have created a real buzz and sense of theatre in the airport. The campaign was also an opportunity to highlight the improvements we have been making to the airport over the course of the past 18 months, during which time we have invested millions of pounds in enhancing our facilities to deliver an improved service to our customers."

RSNO chief executive Michael Elliott said:

"In recent years the RSNO has developed a reputation for taking live orchestral music out of the concert venue and into public spaces. It never fails to surprise me how much of an impact our music can have, especially when performed in unexpected surroundings. It’s extremely gratifying to see people new to live orchestral music enjoy the experience with so much enthusiasm. Our thanks go to Glasgow Airport for allowing us to present these performances." 

More than one million passengers passed through the airport during the Best of Scotland campaign, which has showcased some of the country’s most iconic brands and successful exports including Irn Bru, Tunnocks, Mackie’s ice cream and Harris Tweed. 

The RSNO performance was one of a series of musical, theatrical and comedic events which have helped to create a carnival atmosphere in the terminal during one of the busiest periods of the year.
Watch the video from the RSNO YouTube channel, here:

Orchestra's Friday-feeling Boléro busk

RSNO out of concert zone with surprise Glasgow Airport performances

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) traded the concert hall for airport check-in on Friday 12 August, when forty of Scotland's foremost professional musicians presented a surprise performance to passengers and staff at one of Scotland's busiest airports.

The RSNO, dressed in travel clothes and carrying suitcases to maintain the element of surprise, queued at desks 11 and 12, where they pretended to check-in for a flight to Madrid, before assembling to perform a specially-adapted version of French composer Maurice Ravel's iconic Boléro, famously used as the music to the 1984 Olympic-winning performance by British ice-skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, to passengers and staff at Glasgow Airport check-in. The musicians appeared later at a second surprise location within the airport, Glasgow Airport Foodhall, to perform traditional Scottish eightsome reels to business travellers, tourists and airport staff.

Glasgow Airport is one of the main gateways for air travellers flying to and from Scotland, processing over 700,000 passengers a month during the busy summer peak period. To assist in the direction of the surprise performances the RSNO employed the talents of the National Theatre of Scotland's Director of Learning Simon Sharkey, who has many years' experience of urban events.

The Orchestra was conducted by RSNO Horn John Logan:

"The RSNO is Scotland's symphony orchestra and we're very proud of what we do. When opportunities to do something a little bit different arise – something which presents orchestral music to different audiences and to enhance Scotland's reputation as a welcoming destination – we're happy to meet the challenge. Obviously, we take our music-making seriously but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying new things, and following today thousands of people, many of which will be new to live orchestral music, will be able to say they've experienced the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, in an airport!"

Francois Bourienne, Commercial Director at Glasgow Airport, said:

"The RSNO's surprise performance marks the start of our month long Best of Scotland campaign, which, in addition to showcasing the best of what Scotland has to offer, aims to create a bit of theatre in the airport and what better way to do so than to host Scotland's national orchestra. It's the first time Glasgow Airport has been used as a venue by a major orchestra and the RSNO's performance will ensure our passengers take away some very special memories of both Scotland and the airport."

Scotland's national symphony orchestra looks forward to some high-profile performances before it embarks on Stéphane Denève's final season as RSNO Music Director at the end of September. The Orchestra has four performances as part of this year's Edinburgh International Festival, its first appearance at the prestigious Mendelssohn Festival in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday 4 September, and the fifth annual performances at Scotland's most popular tourist attraction, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, on Friday 9 September and Saturday 10 September.