Reduced Classics

Originally written for members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Auricle Ensemble present a selection of virtuosic arrangements of full unabridged orchestral showpieces in their original keys.
The arrangements are for an orchestral octet comprising a pair of instruments from each family. Our concert can be performed as is, or with narration and introductions by our actor. For family concerts, the music stays the same, but the narration is more family friendly and we also provide a “Have-a-Go” instrument stand to allow people of all ages to get their first note from the instruments

Pocket-Sized Orchestral Showpieces

Bizet—Carmen Suite no. 2
Dukas—L’apprentice sorcier
Gershwin—An American In Paris
Mussorgsky—Pictures at an Exhibition (with projection)
Prokofiev—Peter and The Wolf
Strauss, R.—Till Eulenspiegel lustiges Streiche

Thomas Wilson - On Radio and TV

'A Scot’s Quair' Music from the BBC TV series
'Glencoe' Music from the BBC Radio Adaptation (Text by Douglas Stewart, Narrated by Crawford Logan)

“Rousing” The Guardian (Glencoe)
"Smaller classics, perfectly formed" The Buteman

Selected Previous Performances

Byre Theatre, St Andrews
Classic Music Live, Falkirk
Bute Arts Society
Oran Mor, Glasgow
Cottier Theatre, Glasgow
Wigtown Book Festival

Many choral societies and schools throughout the UK perform their repertoire with organ or piano accompaniment, losing a huge part of the magic offered by the experience of singing with a live, professional orchestra. The Auricle Ensemble has devised a flexible orchestral package aimed at providing everything required to make your final performance a resounding success sounding as the composer intended it. We can provide reduced arrangements of many choral society classics, from Brahms Requiem to Carmina Burana and take care of everything, from the music to even providing soloists and a conductor We can make your concert exceptional in every way and we can do this affordably and more importantly, professionally.

Auricle has bespoke reductions ready for your ballet, music theatre or opera production. Whether it's performing Carmen or Sweeney Todd, Threepenny Opera or Nutcracker, we can squeeze into the smallest of pits but still provide a full orchestral sound.