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Is the rumour true that Etiienne (BBCSSO) is the SCO's new principal horn?

No its not true. The word 'out on the streets' is that the SCO will never, ever fill the vacancy (now about 4 years old) caused by the resignation of Bob Cook. This is partly because
1) its only a 'half-job' (6 months of the year, not enough money to tempt a horn player from the south to move to Scotland)
2) The 'job description' includes having to play hand-horn (no valves!) in 'classical' repertoire for no extra fee.
3) Some members of the Wind and Brass section are not 'easy to get on with'.

The new principal horn of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Alec Frank Gemel

Are you pulling our legs Old Cyril? Who is "Alec Frank Gemel"? Anne O'Gram? Has anyone told the 2nd horn?

Since you seem so confident about this piece of news, Old Cyril, you might at least try to spell Alec's surname correctly
it is FRANK-GEMMILL.
I was once waiting for a lesson at Tony Halstead's house when Alec's lesson was just finishing. He was playing the Haydn 1st concerto brilliantly, and when I entered the room I was astounded to see that he had been playing it on a hand-horn!

Er, um, more to the point, has anyone told Alec about the 2nd horn?

Has anyone told Alec WHAT exactly 'about the 2nd horn'?

Bob Cook was keen to find out who the one member of the orchestra was who had voted against his appointmnet when he first arrived to start work with the SCO so he asked the 2nd horn if he knew who had voted against his appointment. "Me" came the answer from his new 2nd horn. A great way to start a new job and a new working relationship with your only other horn colleague. Unbelievable but true!

Anyone else out there work with someone like that? The one in London is called "Quality Control" and "Frank Xerox".

My understanding is that he really likes playing the hand-horn and of course this is part of the contract with the SCO ( and also the BBCPhil I've heard recently..