THE Royal Scottish National Orchestra is to shortly tour to China.

Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will undertake their first joint tour of China later this month.

Led by the RSNO’s new Music Director Thomas Søndergård, the orchestra and Benedetti will perform six concerts in six cities across the country, with the final concert of the tour appearing at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing.

In addition to Nicola Benedetti performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No1 the gala programmes mix that of the traditional Viennese New Year concerts with Scottish-influenced compositions, including Debussy’s Marche Ecossaise, Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances, and Peter Maxwell-Davies’ An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise.

The works of two Chinese composers also appear in three of the concerts, Yuankai Bao (Happy Sunrise, Dialogue on Flowers) and that of Xiaogang Ye (The Silence of Mount Minshan).

The 2018:19 China Tour will start at the Guangxi Culture and Arts Centre, Nanning and continue to Zhuhai Huafa CPAA Grand Theatre, Guangzhou, Shenzhen Concert Hall, Shenzhen, Linyi Grand Theatre, Linyi Shandong Grand Theatre, Jinan, and then in Beijing.

This is only the second tour to China the RSNO has undertaken in its 127-year history and the first with regular soloist Nicola Benedetti, who has joined the Orchestra on its last two international tours, across Europe last May and the USA in 2017.

Nicola Benedetti will return to the RSNO and Thomas Søndergård in February 2019 to perform the Scottish premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Concerto in D.

www.rsno.org.uk.

SCOTLAND'S National Galleries have launched an new Gaelic language plan, to last from 2018 to 2023.

The new NGS plan, received formal approval from Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

National Galleries of Scotland is one of several Scottish public bodies with a Gaelic Language Plan, including National Museums Scotland, Visit Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, as well as local authorities and universities.

In it commitments include providing visitor information in Gaelic, host an annual week of workshops for Gaelic schools, translate teaching resources into Gaelic, include Gaelic events in its families programme and "develop a programme of online Gaelic features and content" for its website.

Sir John Leighton, director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: "The National Galleries of Scotland is pleased to launch our Gaelic Language Plan today.

"In this plan for 2018-23, we are building on the progress made under our first plan, and looking for new opportunities to promote and use Gaelic in the context of our work and our vision of Art for Scotland: Inspiration for the World."

National Galleries of Scotland’s Gaelic Language Plan can be viewed online.

www.nationalgalleries.org/about-us/plans-policies

CREATIVE Scotland's recent award of £857,510 of National Lottery funding includes 39 recipients through the Open Project Fund.

The financial backing has gone to individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Projects supported include the Glasgow Barons who will "present an eclectic music programme for the people of Govan" and Anatomy Arts, which will "deliver a series of diverse and accessible multi-artform events in Edinburgh", co-hosted by Harry Giles.

Rapture Theatre will the tour critically acclaimed play by Patrick Marber - The Red Lion, and Tidy Carnage will further develop NINO, a darkly comic performance inspired by one woman’s experience of grappling with the benefits system.

It has also supported Ullapool Book Festival, Shetland Folk Festival, Glasgow International Jazz Festival and Lammermuir Festival.

Seall receive support to bring "diverse and quality performing arts" to rural communities in Skye and Lochalsh and the Glasgow based David Dale Gallery will present a programme of visual arts commissions, exhibitions and events.

Universal Hall in Findhorn, Moray receive support towards their programme of music, dance, comedy, film and theatre.

www.creativescotland.com