SCO 26/27: Prokofiev & Bartók with Alena Baeva

Alena Baeva returns to The Queen's Hall on Thursday 25 February 2027, leading the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in a matinee performance. She's taking on double duty here, appearing as both violinist and director, so she'll be leading from the front rather than sitting back in the orchestra.

The programme centres on Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2, which Baeva describes as one of the 20th century's most captivating concertos. It's the piece she's most known for, and it's where she brings her trademark intensity to the fore. Around it, the SCO will play Prokofiev's Overture on Hebrew Themes Op. 34 bis, a colourful, spirited work that shifts the energy from the concerto's more lyrical stretches. The concert opens with Dvořák's Romance, a shorter, melodic piece that sets a gentler tone before the Prokofiev takes over, and closes with Bartók's Divertimento, noted for its rhythmic vitality and folk-inspired charm. It's a broad spread of 20th-century music, with the Dvořák acting as a quiet, lyrical prologue.

Because it's a matinee, the timing works a bit differently than your usual evening concert. The box office opens at 12:30pm, with the venue doors and the bar opening an hour later at 1:00pm, so there's plenty of time to get in and settle before the music starts at 2:00pm. Tickets range from £45 down to £8, and those prices include a £2 fee per transaction. It's a mid-week afternoon slot, so if you're around Edinburgh on a Thursday, it's an easy one to fit into the day.