FRESH doubts emerged yesterday over whether one of Scotland's most prestigious music venues will host any classical concerts this autumn, after a major orchestra decided to shift two planned events elsewhere.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra had been planning to open its autumn season at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, but it will now switch venues.

It will instead perform Beethoven's Emperor piano concerto No 5 in Greyfriars Kirk in October, giving two shows because of the much smaller audience capacity. Its next scheduled concert at the Usher Hall, the Viennese New Year Concert, on New Year's Day, will go to the Queen's Hall.

Another popular concert at the Usher Hall, The Messiah staged by the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union at New Year, has also been moved, to St Cuthbert's Church in Lothian Road.

Edinburgh City Council is waiting for a report from the contractor carrying out the £20 million revamp of the hall on its expected condition this autumn. Work had been due to finish in December 2008.

But with construction under way at the century-old building, excavations revealed more work was needed on foundations for the new glass extension in Grindlay Street. An "unexpected rock formation" saw engineers ordering deeper pilings.

Only this month, the council's deputy leader, Steve Cardownie, said the authority was committed to making the hall available to orchestras for their new seasons during the building work.

But an SCO spokeswoman said the orchestra wanted to be "absolutely certain" it had a venue before advertising concerts and selling tickets, and had opted for the switch.

Last week, the larger Royal Scottish National Orchestra put bookings for the 2008-9 season on hold, awaiting the contractor's report. The RSNO, for which the Usher Hall is the main Edinburgh venue, said it was preparing a "Plan B" in case concerts are cancelled there.

But only two nights are available at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, which the RSNO used during building works last year. Publicly the RSNO is taking the optimistic view that the hall will be available, but observers say the position is nightmarish.

Building will be put on hold for the Edinburgh International Festival in August, and there is no threat seen to those dates.

But decisions about the autumn will balance the costs of making seating and facilities safe and accessible for a concert against the potential losses if concerts do not go ahead.

The SCO's first scheduled concert in the Usher Hall is now a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah on 29 January.

"As we were going to press for the brochure, we want to advertise where the concerts would be," said a spokeswoman. After discussions with the city, the SCO felt it was better to move to be "absolutely certain".

A city council spokesman said a report on opening the building during works would come "in a matter of weeks". He said the SCO's decision was "helpful as it will present us with more opportunity to press ahead with work to complete the project."

The SCO typically splits its Edinburgh season between the Usher Hall and the Queen's Hall. While the Usher Hall can seat more than 1,800 people, Greyfriars Kirk seats 400, or fewer if a large orchestra is performing.

The Choral Union's 150th anniversary concertin November is also being staged away from the Usher Hall, at St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral. "It's easier to plan a concert when you know the venue's going to be available," said the group's administrator, Harriet Atkinson.

TICKETS TOP THE £1m MARK IN RECORD TIME

THE Edinburgh International Festival has broken the £1 million barrier for ticket sales in record time.

The EIF took more on the opening day of public booking than ever before on a single day, more than a quarter of a million pounds.

"This is a huge vote of confidence and show of enthusiasm from the public, but there are still plenty of tickets to go round," a spokeswoman said yesterday.

Hottest tickets for the festival, which counts on the Usher Hall as a key venue, include the ballet Giselle, the show Dorian Gray, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera's The Two Widows.

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