Born: 29 June, 1948, in Kilsyth.
Died: 25 September, 2008, in Glasgow, aged 60.
MYRA Mackay was one of the stalwarts of the Scottish National Orchestra (SNO) and then the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO
). She brought to the rehearsals and performances a knowledge and understanding of scores and music that was exemplary. The role of an orchestra librarian is fundamental to the smooth running of an orchestra: the scores have to be properly annotated and prepared and the version the conductor is to use has to be ready. Mackay, however tight the deadlines, was unflappable, calm and understood the technicalities of the rehearsal process. She was a much admired and loved member of the RSNO "family" and always a moral and kindly support not only to the orchestra, but also to nervous conductors and soloists. Not for nothing was the library room always referred to as "the therapy room" and Mackay known throughout the orchestra as "Our Myra".
Pamella Down, a former principal percussionist with the RSNO has said of Mackay: "Over the years she became all things to all people. She managed to give 100 percent of herself, creating trust and respect. Being one of the best orchestra librarians in the country she was held in high regard by her fellow librarians in orchestras across the UK and beyond.
"From a personal point of view, I haven't just lost a colleague, but a very dear friend. She was a very special person."
Myra Mackay was raised and educated in Kilsyth and then took a degree at Strathclyde University. Her first post was music librarian to the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra in 1970. With them she was involved with a wide variety of music making including working with many soloists – ranging from Stephane Grappelli to Charles Aznavour and Rod Stewart. Once the BBC SRO accompanied Ella Fitzgerald – an experience that Mackay especially treasured. During this time Mackay worked with, and formed keen friendships with, two of the great stars of the Scottish variety stage Kenneth McKellar and Moira Anderson.
In 1979, Mackay decided to remain at home while her two boys were growing up but in 1989 she returned to work with the SNO as orchestral librarian. Conductors such as Sir Alexander Gibson, Neeme Jarvi and Alexander Lazarev all relied on Mackay to have everything right for the rehearsals and concerts. The RSNO also received many lucrative film commissions during this time and they made very different demands on Mackay's expertise.
There was a suitable tribute to Mackay recently on Jamie MacDougall's Classics Unwrapped on BBC Radio Scotland. It emerged that amongst her favourite music were from Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet and all the Tchaikovsky ballets, so excerpts were played on the programme. In their opening series of concerts, the RSNO last week changed their scheduled programmes and included passages from the Prokofiev as a mark of respect to a much-loved colleague.
Ballet, in fact, played a major part in her life. Both her sons are ballet dancers, having started their training with the Scottish Ballet School in Kingswood. One son, Rory, is a member of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the other, Iain, lives with his wife in Madrid where both are members of the Angel Corella Ballet. One of Mackay and her husband's great joys was following their sons' careers and attending their performances. Last month, they attended Iain's first night of a new season at Madrid.
At a meeting in 2003 of the Major Orchestra Librarians' Association Mackay, with typical enthusiasm, introduced a subject for discussion which she had championed with enthusiasm for many years. In her quest to encourage the young to learn an instrument she had suggested a system she delightfully called "Blue Petering". Extracts in the score would be "flagged and tagged" thus providing a clear and unambiguous road map for the young orchestral players. It was greeted, it has to be said, with some scepticism – "perhaps Myra has made a rod for her own back" – but concluded, "it is a mark of Myra's dedicated approach and the difference to the smooth running of rehearsals that a professional librarian can make."
Mackay, a lady of much style, patience and invariably blessed with a kindly smile, had met her husband John on a school trip when they were both 14 and they were married for 37 years.
Her husband and their two sons survive her.
The full article contains 740 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
