It was some time ago now that I met Alan and Rebecca Taverner, the prime movers behind Capella Nova. Capella Nova are Glasgow’s choral powerhouse, carrying a repertoire that ranges from John Cage to Hildegard of Bingen. I’ve caught them a few times around Glasgow- mostly in churches, and usually during the religious holidays. I interviewed them for my Tramway project, even though they aren’t really a typical Tramway company.
“We have never booked ourselves into Tramway. We have been part of festivals, and collaborations. But we have never promoted ourselves: it is probably a little outside of our audience’s comfort zone.”
Back in the 1990s, Tramway would have regular festivals. They were probably gimmicks, little more than themed programming given a smart suit. However, these festivals would call in Capella Nova, or other local companies that would never have appeared Southside in normal circumstances.
For Nova, it meant that they were encouraged to include new work in their repertoire. Asked to contribute to a contemporary music festival, they picked up Litany for a Whale and The John Cage Song Book. Both Rebecca and John are very engaged with modern music- they have championed Scotland’s greatest living composer, James MacMillan for many years- and they would have added something equally radical eventually. But, it stands that Tramway is the place that precipitated this addition.