“Who is the man behind the music?” – STV (VIDEO)

(…)For Stéphane Denève, his final performance conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, his last flick of the baton in a period which has defined him and reinvigorated one of Scotland’s national treasures, will be poignant. (…) “It will be very emotional,” said the 40-year-old Frenchman. “I live here, my little daughter Alma was born here four years ago, so of course leaving the orchestra will be very emotional. I am happy as I feel I am leaving on a high. The orchestra is playing better than ever. It will be a celebration as well.” (…)

With the curtain coming down on his time with the RSNO, what does Stéphane think his legacy will be? Performances at the Proms, Edinburgh Festival, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw? Recordings of Roussel? Or Debussy, including a new collaboration between the RSNO and Stéphane released in the past few weeks?

Or will it be the simple fact that more people attend the orchestra’s concerts than when he started, and more and more young people are becoming engaged with the ensemble. (…) “What I am most proud about is indeed we have many more people in the hall now than seven years ago. Many more young people. It has been said that the RSNO is now the best French orchestra north of Calais! We did play a lot of French music. I hope there will be a French touch that stays with the RSNO.”

Read the whole article and watch the video on STV here