Marjory Dougal has been EYO’s General Manager since 1990. She first became involved with the orchestra through her own children, who played flute and clarinet. Over the past 18 years, Marjory has organised all of the orchestra’s regular Easter courses and concerts in Scotland, as well as taking EYO on seven international tours. The first was an extensive tour to Munich, Vienna, Bratislava, Eisenstadt, Budapest, Kracow and Prague in 1993, when the orchestra won first prize at the Vienna Festival, followed by Scandinavia, Italy, England, the Baltic Countries and Russia (with soloists Evelyn Glennie and Tommy Smith) and Germany with violinist Nicola Benedetti. In 2007, EYO stayed closer to home and visited Paisley, Perth and Aberdeen and in 2008 made its first visit to Ireland.

Marjory is especially proud of the wider educational aspects of the orchestra’s current activities in presenting workshops, led by Nicola Benedetti and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen schools, as well as the broad range of social and economic backgrounds from which the orchestra now draws its players.

The first part of Marjory’s career in education was as a primary school teacher, latterly working with children with special needs. Her natural affinity with children and young people, coupled with her lifelong commitment to their wellbeing through nurturing and encouraging them to achieve their full potential, has recently led to Marjory becoming a Founding Trustee of the Colin O’Riordan Trust. The Trust promotes and supports excellence in young musicians, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Her wider charity work has included five years on the Scottish Ensemble’s Board of Directors, an adviser to Marie Curie Cancer Care and with Field of Hope in Poland.

Carol Main
Director
Live Music Now! Scotland