We rehearse on Wednesday evenings at St. Catherine's Argyle Church on Grange Road
Our Orchestra
We are a friendly and inclusive string Chamber Orchestra in Edinburgh who love playing together
As well as rehearsing for concerts in the usual way, we believe that undertaking workshops with professional musicians and teachers elevates our performance level. These aim to further our listening, technical and ensemble playing skills and enhance the playing experience for our members.
Repertoire
Our repertoire is mostly drawn from the chamber music of the baroque and classical eras, but is ever expanding to include a wide variety of other styles
We regularly invite guest soloists and orchestral players, enabling further expansion of our repertory. We love to have fun and the social side of our rehearsals is as important to us as our musical enjoyment of playing together.
Our History
EChO is one of the oldest amateur orchestras in Scotland and has a rich musical history
It was founded in 1946 by violinist Theodora di Marco (Theo) and her twin sister Norma, a cellist, during their time studying at Edinburgh University. One of its earliest concerts included the world premier of ‘Serenade’ by Hans Gal, conducted by Gal himself, and since then the orchestra has premiered several other novel works. Theo led a remarkable life that saw her teach music, serve as a Carmelite nun and ultimately become the colourful hostess of a famous Edinburgh salon. Following her death in 2021, Theo’s love for the orchestra she once founded was marked by a generous bequest in her will.
