They first experienced the refurbished hall when they relocated there for some of their regular winter season concerts while Eden Court was under reconstruction and fell in love with the place. Both manager Elizabeth Andrews and artistic director, violinist Jonathan Morton, have sung the hall's praises in these pages and violinist Cheryl Crockett added her wholehearted commendation as well.

"We are looking forward to the tour," she declared. "But I have to say that Strathpeffer is just about our favourite venue of all the places we play. For our size of group it is perfect, and the audience there are lovely as well. We love the hall and its atmosphere, not to mention the chocolate shop down the road, although it won't be open on Sunday, so we may have to get an advance order in, or drop in on the way to Dornoch.

"I've been with the group for 10 years or so now and the Highland visits have been the most memorable tours that we have done. It's always a great atmosphere, and the audiences seem very open-minded and interested in what we are doing. And the places we visit are so beautiful, of course. I don't know about this year, but for most years that I've been on them the weather has been glorious, and we have had wonderful ferry trips and beach barbecues and all the rest of it, so fingers-crossed!"

Crockett is a familiar figure in the Ensemble's ranks and concert-goers will also know her from her freelance work with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The Ensemble also provide opportunities for Crockett to step forward as a soloist. Their programme for this tour includes a piece they commissioned from Scottish composer David Horne. His "Double Violin Concerto" was first performed at the St Magnus Festival with the Ensemble's former and present leaders, Clio Gould and Jonathan Morton, as soloists and Crockett will join Morton for these performances. As she explained, she already has a slightly distant connection with the composer.

"I was at St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh when David Horne was there, but he was a couple of years above me, so I didn't know him as such," she said.

"I knew who he was, though, because I had seen him in a television documentary about the school before I went there, so he was someone I recognised. Then when I was in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland we played a piece they had commissioned from him called 'Light Emerging', so I have a bit of history with his music.

"I played in the Ensemble when we first did the 'Double Concerto' in Orkney. It is a wonderful piece, and it is both a challenge and a treat to get the chance to do the solo part with Jon this time."

That challenge kicks in immediately. On the very first page of the score there is a moment when she has to play what she swears is the highest note that she has ever had to play in performance on the violin's low G string. It serves as an indication that the player is going to have to be on her mettle.

The Scottish Ensemble

"You might try playing something that high in practice, but I don't think I've ever had to do it for real," she laughed.

"It is playable, but it is really stretching the player. It creates a very exciting sound, especially since it is also marked fortissimo. What I did discover in learning the solo part was how well written it was for the violin. I play quite a lot of modern music and often you feel that the composer doesn't really know the instrument well, or simply chooses to write that way, but with David it all makes sense in terms of violin technique."

Horne's piece is one of two double concertos in the programme, the other being Bach's more familiar "Double Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043".

"The connection is not accidental — Horne's piece took its inspiration from Bach's work. Jonathan Morton will again take one of the solo roles, this time alongside violinist Sarah Sexton, a former member of the group who returns for this tour.

The programme will also feature Morton's arrangement for the full group of Shostakovitch's "Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11" and Mendelssohn's "String Symphony No. 9 in C major". It is a typically attractive combination of old and new from this group and will be performed in Ballachulish, Tobermory and Dornoch en route to Strathpeffer.

* The Scottish Ensemble play at Dornoch Cathedral on Saturday (8pm) and Strathpeffer Pavilion on Sunday (3pm).

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