It was a day different to the usual one we enjoy, but enjoyable nonetheless. Originally scheduled as Choral Evensong, we were asked by the Right Reverend Dr Gregor Duncan, Bishop of the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway of the Scottish Episcopal Church, to instead provide the music for a Chrism Mass when priests from all over the diocese gather to renew their ordination vows and to bless various oils used in their ministry.
The Bishop delivered a homily, and made the choir feel particularly welcome and an integral part of the service during it, which was commented on afterwards by several choir members.
Directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Steven McIntyre the setting was Harold E Darke's rather nice Communion Service in F, with the soprano soloist Ruth Elder, tenor and baritone soloist Ian Gibson, and solo quartet made up of Ruth Elder, Pam Barrowman, Ian Gibson and Stewart Macrae. Well done to all of them!
The anthem was a little gem by New York based Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, called Ubi Caritas which if you haven't heard it before is well worth a listen. A recording during which you can look at the sheet music too can be seen on YouTube here, and the sheet music is available to purchase from the RSCM here.
The next outing is for 20 of our singers who are making the journey south to Peterborough Cathedral on 9th April to join forces with our counterparts from the rest of the country as we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the founding of RSCM Cathedral Singers by Martin How, in what promises to be a splendid Choral Evensong which includes O praise the Lord, a new introit written by Martin How for the occasion, Ayleward Responses, Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in D by George Dyson, and Surrexit a mortuis by Charles Marie Widor (written not only for double choir but for two organs!).
The next time the full choir meets is on 14th May when we close the first half of our 2016 season with Choral Evensong in Dunblane Cathedral. Originally planned as a joint service with RSCM Young Scottish Voices, for various reasons the youngsters aren't now available to join us for that service which will include Litany to the Holy Spirit (Peter Hurford), Richard Seal Responses, Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in E (Herbert Murrill), and Rejoice the Lord is King (Malcolm Archer).
Showing posts with label rscm young scottish voices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rscm young scottish voices. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 March 2016
Thursday, 3 December 2015
Error in CMQ
Eagle-eyed recipients of the fine RSCM publication Church Music Quarterly and its accompanying booklet The Network may spot in the December edition (which our administrator received through the post today) that on page 20 of The Network we are listed as singing Choral Evensong in Dundee on 5th March 2016.
We aren't. It's a typo.
That date and venue relates to our wee sister choir RSCM Young Scottish Voices, not us. So please go there at that time on that date to support them, but you won't hear RSCM Scottish Voices singing.
We aren't. It's a typo.
That date and venue relates to our wee sister choir RSCM Young Scottish Voices, not us. So please go there at that time on that date to support them, but you won't hear RSCM Scottish Voices singing.
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Season's end, brrrr!
Our 2015 season has now drawn to a close, after our very successful and enjoyable Choral Evensong yesterday with members of our wee sister choir RSCM Young Scottish Voices in Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh's Old Town.
Around 40 adults and 15 youngsters braved the rather low temperatures of the church (despite the heating being on, it had a battle on its hands against the cold Edinburgh chill!) and sang to a very appreciative congregation of almost 40 hardy souls.
Despite the temperature we enjoyed a warm welcome from Old Saint Paul's, and we're looking forward to returning there in the future. Perhaps we'll schedule it for summer next time though!
The next time we meet as a choir is on February 6th 2016, when we make the journey south to Carlisle Cathedral to sing Choral Evensong at 5.30pm. Several choir members have already booked overnight accommodation in Carlisle, so it looks like it's going to be a great social occasion as well as a musical one. Will it be warmer? Here's hoping!
Around 40 adults and 15 youngsters braved the rather low temperatures of the church (despite the heating being on, it had a battle on its hands against the cold Edinburgh chill!) and sang to a very appreciative congregation of almost 40 hardy souls.
Despite the temperature we enjoyed a warm welcome from Old Saint Paul's, and we're looking forward to returning there in the future. Perhaps we'll schedule it for summer next time though!
The next time we meet as a choir is on February 6th 2016, when we make the journey south to Carlisle Cathedral to sing Choral Evensong at 5.30pm. Several choir members have already booked overnight accommodation in Carlisle, so it looks like it's going to be a great social occasion as well as a musical one. Will it be warmer? Here's hoping!
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Old Saint Paul's 2015
- Introit: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (S S Wesley)
- Responses: Richard Seal
- Psalms: 123, 124, 125 (chants by George Thalben-Ball, Samuel Wesley, and Charles H Lloyd)
- Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in A (Herbert Sumsion)
- Anthem: Love Divine (Howard Goodall)
Watch this space for more details, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RSCMScotVoices
Sunday, 9 August 2015
2016 season announced
Hot off the press, our choir members have just been enjoying our annual residential rehearsal weekend which this year has been at the Scottish Police College, Tulliallan Castle, and during the weekend all of the venues for our 2016 season were announced, so including the remaining three events of 2015 all of our confirmed future activities can now be revealed to the world as:
Full details of each service will be announced here and on Twitter nearer the time, and of course dates and venues are always published in The Network which is distributed to RSCM members and affiliated churches alongside Church Music Quarterly.
- 5th Sep 2015, 4pm - St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban - Choral Evensong
- 3rd Oct 2015, 4pm - St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth - Choral Evensong
- 14th Nov 2015, 4pm - Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh - Joint Choral Evensong with Young Scottish Voices
- 6th Feb 2016, 5.30pm - Carlisle Cathedral - Choral Evensong
- 19th Mar 2016, 4pm - St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow- Choral Evensong
- 9th Apr 2016 - Peterborough Cathedral - RSCM Cathedral Singers Golden Jubilee Celebration
- 14th May 2016, 4pm - Dunblane Cathedral - Joint Choral Evensong with Young Scottish Voices
- 19th to 21st Aug 2016 - Residential Rehearsal Weekend (no public performance)
- 10th Sep 2016, 4pm - Bothwell Parish Church - Choral Evensong
- 8th Oct 2016, 4pm - St Cuthbert's Parish Church, Edinburgh - Choral Evensong
- 12th Nov 2016, 4pm - Culross Abbey - Joint service with Young Scottish Voices
Full details of each service will be announced here and on Twitter nearer the time, and of course dates and venues are always published in The Network which is distributed to RSCM members and affiliated churches alongside Church Music Quarterly.
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Young Scottish Voices are recruiting
Our wee sister choir, RSCM Young Scottish Voices is currently recruiting new members.
Under new Musical Director, our very own Frikki Walker, they next sing together on 21st March 2015 in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow and if you're resident anywhere in Scotland, aged 10-18, and already in a choir, it's not too late to join and be part of that day! Future meetings will take place in various places around the country.
Please contact administrator Chris Wilson at youngvoicesadministrator@rscmscottishvoices.org.uk if you'd like more information.
Under new Musical Director, our very own Frikki Walker, they next sing together on 21st March 2015 in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow and if you're resident anywhere in Scotland, aged 10-18, and already in a choir, it's not too late to join and be part of that day! Future meetings will take place in various places around the country.
Please contact administrator Chris Wilson at youngvoicesadministrator@rscmscottishvoices.org.uk if you'd like more information.
Sunday, 7 September 2014
It's time to Celebrate!
Our wee sister choir RSCM Young Scottish Voices, which is aimed at those in the 9-15 age range and which since its inception has been directed by Matthew Beetschen who has recently moved back to England, will be directed by our very own Musical Director Frikki Walker from January 2015, at which point the upper age limit will change to 18. There are going to be even closer links between the adults and juniors than ever before as we build on the successful platform already put in place by Matthew.
In the meantime you can next hear them sing under the direction of Keith Roberts, head of choral music at St Aloysius' College, Glasgow, on Saturday 20th September 2014 when they take part in an afternoon of rehearsals culminating in a service at 4.30pm in the stunning acoustic of the beautiful St Aloysius RC Church, 25 Rose St, Glasgow G3 6RE where the adult choir has enjoyed singing in the past. The anticipated finish time will be 5.15pm.
The music will include an uplifting mix from many traditions including American Spirituals, plainsong, African, Scottish, English and Russian music, so there's something for everyone.
All are welcome to come and listen at 4.30pm to support the youngsters who are the future of church music in Scotland, but if you have a child who is aged 9-15 who might want to come to SING with Young Scottish Voices at this event (which starts at 1pm, and finishes with the service at 4.30pm), please contact Sue Gardner for further details on YoungVoicesAdministrator@rscmscottishvoices.org.uk and she will let you know how to go about getting involved.
For anyone aged 16-19, please also get in touch to register your interest in joining this dynamic young group from 2015 onwards under Frikki. As well as providing an opportunity for good music making and wonderful training, it's also loads of fun!
Follow the youngsters on Twitter @RSCMYoungVoices
The picture below, which was taken at the RSCM Celebration day in May 2013 in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, is of RSCM Young Scottish Voices members and Matthew Beetschen.
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| photo courtesy of RSCM/Chris Scott |
Sunday, 10 August 2014
2015 season announced
The dates and venues for our 2015 season have just been announced to the choir at our residential rehearsal weekend at Stirling University, so the wider world can now know!
All of our future events are listed below, including those still to come in the second half of our 2014 season:
Saturday 6th September 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, High St, Dundee
Saturday 4th October 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh
Saturday 1st November 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth
Saturday 17th January 2015
Epiphany Carol Service by Candlelight at 4pm
Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
Saturday 7th March 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Mary's Parish Church, Haddington
Saturday 9th May 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Margaret's former Episcopal Church, Braemar, Royal Deeside
Having been recently saved from a perilous condition, St Margaret's is now becoming the base for all sorts of musical events in the beautiful village of Braemar which is just along from Balmoral Castle, the home of Her Majesty the Queen (Royal Patron of the Royal School of Church Music). Although not operating as a church now, the team looking after the building agree with us that this would be a nice opportunity to hark back to former times whilst still firmly looking forward to what the future holds for the building.
Saturday 6th June 2015
RSCM Scotland Triennial Festival
Directed by Frikki Walker, accompanied by Richard Walmsley
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow
Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2015
Annual residential rehearsal weekend
This does not involve any public performance or access
Saturday 5th September 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban
This will be a first visit to Oban for the choir, and we're very much looking forward to visiting this glorious part of Scotland where the RSCM is very much supported.
Saturday 3rd October 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth
*NB for reasons outwith our control this is a different venue to that originally advertised here
Saturday 14th November 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh
This will be a joint service with Young Scottish Voices
All of our future events are listed below, including those still to come in the second half of our 2014 season:
Saturday 6th September 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, High St, Dundee
Saturday 4th October 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh
Saturday 1st November 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth
Saturday 17th January 2015
Epiphany Carol Service by Candlelight at 4pm
Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
Saturday 7th March 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Mary's Parish Church, Haddington
Saturday 9th May 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Margaret's former Episcopal Church, Braemar, Royal Deeside
Having been recently saved from a perilous condition, St Margaret's is now becoming the base for all sorts of musical events in the beautiful village of Braemar which is just along from Balmoral Castle, the home of Her Majesty the Queen (Royal Patron of the Royal School of Church Music). Although not operating as a church now, the team looking after the building agree with us that this would be a nice opportunity to hark back to former times whilst still firmly looking forward to what the future holds for the building.
Saturday 6th June 2015
RSCM Scotland Triennial Festival
Directed by Frikki Walker, accompanied by Richard Walmsley
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow
Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2015
Annual residential rehearsal weekend
This does not involve any public performance or access
Saturday 5th September 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban
This will be a first visit to Oban for the choir, and we're very much looking forward to visiting this glorious part of Scotland where the RSCM is very much supported.
Saturday 3rd October 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth
*NB for reasons outwith our control this is a different venue to that originally advertised here
Saturday 14th November 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh
This will be a joint service with Young Scottish Voices
Sunday, 15 June 2014
Thus ends the first half
The first half of our 2014 season drew to a close with a fine Choral Evensong in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow on Saturday 14th June, following which a pleasingly high number of choir members moved along the road a little to Munro's Pub where despite the noisy (but good natured) crowd already there enjoying the soccer world cup on TV we took advantage of a couple of tables being booked for us (it's where St Mary's Cathedral choir members go on a Sunday after Choral Evensong so the staff are friendly and accommodating) and socialised happily for the next few hours.
The service was led by Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, who sang the Clucas responses for us, and we were directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Richard Walmsley.
The next time we meet will be for our annual residential rehearsal weekend in August but that doesn't involve any public performance, so the next time you can hear us sing is on Saturday 6th September 2014 when we will sing Choral Evensong at 4pm in St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee.
In the meantime our choir administrator and director of music will be meeting in the next few days to decide on the dates and venues for 2015 (yes, it really does need done this far in advance!) and that meeting will also involve the administrator of RSCM Young Scottish Voices. After singing with us for the first time very successfully and enjoyably in Paisley Abbey a couple of weeks ago it is the intention that while still taking part in their own events the youngsters will sing a bit more often with the adult choir, and this is the first step in making that happen. Watch this space for further details!
The service was led by Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, who sang the Clucas responses for us, and we were directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Richard Walmsley.
The next time we meet will be for our annual residential rehearsal weekend in August but that doesn't involve any public performance, so the next time you can hear us sing is on Saturday 6th September 2014 when we will sing Choral Evensong at 4pm in St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee.
In the meantime our choir administrator and director of music will be meeting in the next few days to decide on the dates and venues for 2015 (yes, it really does need done this far in advance!) and that meeting will also involve the administrator of RSCM Young Scottish Voices. After singing with us for the first time very successfully and enjoyably in Paisley Abbey a couple of weeks ago it is the intention that while still taking part in their own events the youngsters will sing a bit more often with the adult choir, and this is the first step in making that happen. Watch this space for further details!
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Birthday Choral Evensong
On Saturday 31st May 2014 we celebrated five years as a choir by singing Choral Evensong in Paisley Abbey joined by RSCM Young Scottish Voices (the first time they juniors have sung with our adult choir, but not the last!) and members of our sister choirs from England, RSCM Voices North, RSCM Voices South and RSCM Voices West. We were glad too that the director of the RSCM, Andrew Reid, had accepted our invitation to come and celebrate with us, and he had a brief chat to the massed singers after the rehearsal (and for longer in the pub afterwards).
There were one or two last minute calloffs because of illness, but we still made up a choir of 83 singers under the direction of Frikki Walker, and accompanied on Paisley's majestic organ by Richard Walmsley, who have been respectively our Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director / Organist since we first tentatively met in summer 2008 (our fifth birthday has been calculated from our first actual service, which was in January 2009).
Rehearsals started at midday and right from the off it was obvious that we were going to be making some spectacular noises in the service, but to be honest any service that has Parry's wonderful anthem I was glad as the introit can't fail to be spectacular! The full music list was
The weather in the west of Scotland has been lovely and sunny over the past few days, which meant that the Abbey, and Paisley, were looking their best, and if you're going to be stuck indoors on such a lovely day there are many worse buildings to be stuck inside.
The Abbey staff were very welcoming, providing us with refreshments during our short break from rehearsals, and Rev Birss said afterwards he was looking forward to welcoming us back for our 10th anniversary! I suspect we'll be back sooner though.
The service itself lived up to its promise, and the wee bits during rehearsals where Frikki had been on at us to watch him while he played about with tempi (as he does so effectively) seemed perfect as everyone had clearly taken to heart his promise that he would be changing things on the spur of the moment. Afterwards we had the obligatory group photo in the sun outside the west door of the Abbey (see below, with the other photos taken by Gordon Smith).
So, to the pub! RSCM Scottish Voices are a sociable bunch, and took the opportunity of having new friends visiting from England to show them what we do after every service. Space for around 50 had been reserved in the local Wetherspoons pub, which allowed us to enjoy inexpensive Real Ale, and food on demand! Everyone seemed to have had a good day, judging by the smiles and laughter, and after several hours gradually we drifted away to our respective homes, hotels, boarding houses, and in at least one case another licenced premises!
The photos below were all taken by RSCM Scottish Voices tenor Gordon Smith (gordonrasmith if you want to look him up on Flickr) and are reproduced here with his kind permission. If any of the singers from the day would like to access downloadable high quality versions of any photos, contact RSCM Scottish Voices administrator by email and it'll be sorted.
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| Andrew Reid (r) chatting to the choir |
There were one or two last minute calloffs because of illness, but we still made up a choir of 83 singers under the direction of Frikki Walker, and accompanied on Paisley's majestic organ by Richard Walmsley, who have been respectively our Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director / Organist since we first tentatively met in summer 2008 (our fifth birthday has been calculated from our first actual service, which was in January 2009).
Rehearsals started at midday and right from the off it was obvious that we were going to be making some spectacular noises in the service, but to be honest any service that has Parry's wonderful anthem I was glad as the introit can't fail to be spectacular! The full music list was
- Introit: I was glad - Charles Hubert H Parry
- Responses: Bernard Rose (cantor: Gary Young)
- Psalm: 150 (chant by Charles Villiers Stanford)
- Canticles: Charles Dyson in D
- Anthems: This lovely lady sat and song - Bryan Kelly
Let all the world - Ralph Vaughan Williams - Voluntary: Carillon de Westminster - Louis Vierne
The weather in the west of Scotland has been lovely and sunny over the past few days, which meant that the Abbey, and Paisley, were looking their best, and if you're going to be stuck indoors on such a lovely day there are many worse buildings to be stuck inside.
The Abbey staff were very welcoming, providing us with refreshments during our short break from rehearsals, and Rev Birss said afterwards he was looking forward to welcoming us back for our 10th anniversary! I suspect we'll be back sooner though.
The service itself lived up to its promise, and the wee bits during rehearsals where Frikki had been on at us to watch him while he played about with tempi (as he does so effectively) seemed perfect as everyone had clearly taken to heart his promise that he would be changing things on the spur of the moment. Afterwards we had the obligatory group photo in the sun outside the west door of the Abbey (see below, with the other photos taken by Gordon Smith).
So, to the pub! RSCM Scottish Voices are a sociable bunch, and took the opportunity of having new friends visiting from England to show them what we do after every service. Space for around 50 had been reserved in the local Wetherspoons pub, which allowed us to enjoy inexpensive Real Ale, and food on demand! Everyone seemed to have had a good day, judging by the smiles and laughter, and after several hours gradually we drifted away to our respective homes, hotels, boarding houses, and in at least one case another licenced premises!
The photos below were all taken by RSCM Scottish Voices tenor Gordon Smith (gordonrasmith if you want to look him up on Flickr) and are reproduced here with his kind permission. If any of the singers from the day would like to access downloadable high quality versions of any photos, contact RSCM Scottish Voices administrator by email and it'll be sorted.
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Sunday, 4 August 2013
2014 dates and venues
Hot off the press, our choir members have just been singing in our annual residential rehearsal weekend, and during the weekend all of our dates and venues for our 2014 season have been announced. All of what follows, and more, can be found on our Future Services and Events page which will be updated with more specific information of times and music list as it all becomes available. The information below includes the rest of our 2013 dates as well as the 2014 ones, and all dates are Saturdays.
On 14th September 2013 at 4pm we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, in the beautiful city of Inverness. This will be our first visit to Inverness, and all of the choir are very much looking forward to it, particularly our two members who live in Elgin who will have a significantly shorter trip than usual!
On 12th October 2013 we will be departing from our normal services, and will instead be taking part in a concert at 7.30pm in the historic Dunfermline Abbey. It's a concert in conjunction with The Carnegie UK Trust, in their 100th year, and it's entitled 'Most Elevating of Voices' - The Musical Legacy of Andrew Carnegie: a transatlantic celebration.
As well as hearing RSCM Scottish Voices sing, this will also be an opportunity to hear the organ played by the exceptionally talented Michael Bawtree, who although Scottish based is very much in demand internationally as an organist and choir director. You can read more about Michael on a Herald article here and on Glasgow Chamber Choir's website here
The first 15 minutes of the concert will be in the old nave (by kind permission of Historic Scotland) and we will then move to the newer (heated and lit!) Abbey to complete the evening.
The concert will include music by Thomas Weelkes, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, Peter Philips, George Dyson, Herbert Howells, Edgar Bainton, Charles Villiers Stanford, and George Frederick Handel.
The transatlantic element of this is that on Wednesday 20th November 2013 the other half of the celebration takes place in the Cathedral Church of St John the Divine, New York City, USA, and there is quite a lot of music in common between the two concerts. Sadly we don't get to travel to New York to sing, but conversely they don't get to come to Scotland either! There is no charge for attending the Dunfermline concert, but it's by ticket only and they are being issued by The Carnegie UK Trust so to reserve yours please contact the Trust by email to centenary@carnegieuk.org or call their office on 01383 721445.
The press release from the Carnegie UK Trust is as follows:
On 23rd November 2013 we return to St Aloysius' RC Church, Rose St, Glasgow, where at 5.45pm we will take part in their Vigil Mass on the eve of the festival of Christ the King. This is an absolutely stunning building, both visually and acoustically, and we are very much looking forward to our return visit there, having first sung in the Vigil Mass in 2011.
Our 2014 season commences on 15th February 2014 at 4pm with a first visit to the lovely town of Linlithgow, where we will be singing in the beautiful St Michael's Parish Church, right next to Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots
On 5th April 2014, the eve of Passion Sunday, at 4pm we make our first foray into the Scottish Borders, when we sing in Peebles Old Parish Church, a lovely building overlooking the high street of Peebles.
They say that time flies when you're having fun, and this certainly seems to be the case with RSCM Scottish Voices, because having sung our first ever service in January 2009 our 2014 season is our fifth as a choir, so to celebrate this anniversary we've decided to put on a special Choral Evensong on 31st May 2014 at 4pm in the historic Paisley Abbey, and we're going to be inviting members of our sister choirs RSCM Young Scottish Voices, RSCM Voices North, RSCM Voices West, and RSCM Voices South, to join us. So there will be singers from all over Great Britain converging on Paisley to raise the roof of the Abbey, which itself has been celebrating a rather more splendid anniversary year in 2013, being 850 years old!
Our Musical Director Frikki Walker is Director of Music at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow and many of our members also sing in the cathedral choir there. Our choir is grateful for a variety of support we receive from St Mary's so we always enjoy a visit to what has become, despite our membership being drawn from all over Scotland, almost "home" territory. On 14th June 2014, the eve of Trinity Sunday, we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Mary's Cathedral at 4pm, and doubtless it'll be followed by some of the best socialising we engage in throughout the year, as the cathedral (and specifically the cathedral choir members) know how to throw a party!
Our annual residential rehearsal weekend will take place from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August 2014. The venue has still to be decided, we'll have a think about how well Stirling University has just suited us this weekend and decide whether we want to return there or not, but in any case it involves no public performance or access, it's purely rehearsing and socialising.
Another welcome yet overdue return visit will be on 6th September 2014 when we travel to St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee, to sing Choral Evensong at 4pm. Our previous visit back in 2010 was memorable not just for the music we sang, but for the outstanding welcome we received from the cathedral, and in particular Stuart Muir and his choir members.
It's a year of first visits, and although it's taken us five years to get something scheduled, our trip to sing Choral Evensong in the very historic St Giles Cathedral on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on 4th October 2014 at 4pm is one to which we're really looking forward.
Our 2014 season will draw to a close with another eagerly anticipated return visit, this time to the stamping ground of our Assistant Musical Director Richard Walmsley who is also the Organist and Master of the Choristers in St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral in Perth, where we will sing Choral Evensong at 4pm on 1st November 2014.
So, by the end of 2014, our fifth anniversary year, we will have sung in abbeys, cathedrals and significant churches throughout a large chunk of the Scottish mainland, from Dumfries in the south west to Inverness in the north west, Peebles in the Borders to Aberdeen in the north east. We know there's a lot more of Scotland to be visited, and it's in our plans to visit further north than Inverness, (perhaps St Magnus Cathedral on Orkney, maybe Shetland), further west than Glasgow (Oban springs to mind, as does perhaps the tiny yet charming Cathedral of the Isles in Millport on Cumbrae), and further into the Scottish Borders (oh wouldn't it be great to be able to sing in one of the ruined Borders Abbeys). But all of that's for the future. Watch this space. Or better still, come and hear us, maybe even come and join us!
On 14th September 2013 at 4pm we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, in the beautiful city of Inverness. This will be our first visit to Inverness, and all of the choir are very much looking forward to it, particularly our two members who live in Elgin who will have a significantly shorter trip than usual!
On 12th October 2013 we will be departing from our normal services, and will instead be taking part in a concert at 7.30pm in the historic Dunfermline Abbey. It's a concert in conjunction with The Carnegie UK Trust, in their 100th year, and it's entitled 'Most Elevating of Voices' - The Musical Legacy of Andrew Carnegie: a transatlantic celebration.
As well as hearing RSCM Scottish Voices sing, this will also be an opportunity to hear the organ played by the exceptionally talented Michael Bawtree, who although Scottish based is very much in demand internationally as an organist and choir director. You can read more about Michael on a Herald article here and on Glasgow Chamber Choir's website here
The first 15 minutes of the concert will be in the old nave (by kind permission of Historic Scotland) and we will then move to the newer (heated and lit!) Abbey to complete the evening.
The concert will include music by Thomas Weelkes, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, Peter Philips, George Dyson, Herbert Howells, Edgar Bainton, Charles Villiers Stanford, and George Frederick Handel.
The transatlantic element of this is that on Wednesday 20th November 2013 the other half of the celebration takes place in the Cathedral Church of St John the Divine, New York City, USA, and there is quite a lot of music in common between the two concerts. Sadly we don't get to travel to New York to sing, but conversely they don't get to come to Scotland either! There is no charge for attending the Dunfermline concert, but it's by ticket only and they are being issued by The Carnegie UK Trust so to reserve yours please contact the Trust by email to centenary@carnegieuk.org or call their office on 01383 721445.
The press release from the Carnegie UK Trust is as follows:
To celebrate the musical legacy of Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie UK Trust, there will twinned concerts in Scotland and the USA, featuring what Carnegie called ‘that most elevating of voices’ – the pipe organ, as well as choral music particularly associated with the Carnegie UK Trust. Carnegie funded 7,689 organs throughout the world, with over 4000 in the USA and over 3000 in the UK. The Carnegie UK Trust funded the pioneering publication in the 1920s of ten volumes of Tudor church music which was to transform musical life in the UK and throughout the world. In Dunfermline, the RSCM Scottish Voices choir will sing some of this beautiful repertoire in the mediaeval nave of Dunfermline Abbey, with the rest of the programme containing music by a former chair of the Trust, Sir George Dyson, as well as some of the finest repertoire for choir and organ, sung in the Abbey church.
On 23rd November 2013 we return to St Aloysius' RC Church, Rose St, Glasgow, where at 5.45pm we will take part in their Vigil Mass on the eve of the festival of Christ the King. This is an absolutely stunning building, both visually and acoustically, and we are very much looking forward to our return visit there, having first sung in the Vigil Mass in 2011.
Our 2014 season commences on 15th February 2014 at 4pm with a first visit to the lovely town of Linlithgow, where we will be singing in the beautiful St Michael's Parish Church, right next to Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots
On 5th April 2014, the eve of Passion Sunday, at 4pm we make our first foray into the Scottish Borders, when we sing in Peebles Old Parish Church, a lovely building overlooking the high street of Peebles.
They say that time flies when you're having fun, and this certainly seems to be the case with RSCM Scottish Voices, because having sung our first ever service in January 2009 our 2014 season is our fifth as a choir, so to celebrate this anniversary we've decided to put on a special Choral Evensong on 31st May 2014 at 4pm in the historic Paisley Abbey, and we're going to be inviting members of our sister choirs RSCM Young Scottish Voices, RSCM Voices North, RSCM Voices West, and RSCM Voices South, to join us. So there will be singers from all over Great Britain converging on Paisley to raise the roof of the Abbey, which itself has been celebrating a rather more splendid anniversary year in 2013, being 850 years old!
Our Musical Director Frikki Walker is Director of Music at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow and many of our members also sing in the cathedral choir there. Our choir is grateful for a variety of support we receive from St Mary's so we always enjoy a visit to what has become, despite our membership being drawn from all over Scotland, almost "home" territory. On 14th June 2014, the eve of Trinity Sunday, we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Mary's Cathedral at 4pm, and doubtless it'll be followed by some of the best socialising we engage in throughout the year, as the cathedral (and specifically the cathedral choir members) know how to throw a party!
Our annual residential rehearsal weekend will take place from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August 2014. The venue has still to be decided, we'll have a think about how well Stirling University has just suited us this weekend and decide whether we want to return there or not, but in any case it involves no public performance or access, it's purely rehearsing and socialising.
Another welcome yet overdue return visit will be on 6th September 2014 when we travel to St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee, to sing Choral Evensong at 4pm. Our previous visit back in 2010 was memorable not just for the music we sang, but for the outstanding welcome we received from the cathedral, and in particular Stuart Muir and his choir members.
It's a year of first visits, and although it's taken us five years to get something scheduled, our trip to sing Choral Evensong in the very historic St Giles Cathedral on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on 4th October 2014 at 4pm is one to which we're really looking forward.
Our 2014 season will draw to a close with another eagerly anticipated return visit, this time to the stamping ground of our Assistant Musical Director Richard Walmsley who is also the Organist and Master of the Choristers in St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral in Perth, where we will sing Choral Evensong at 4pm on 1st November 2014.
So, by the end of 2014, our fifth anniversary year, we will have sung in abbeys, cathedrals and significant churches throughout a large chunk of the Scottish mainland, from Dumfries in the south west to Inverness in the north west, Peebles in the Borders to Aberdeen in the north east. We know there's a lot more of Scotland to be visited, and it's in our plans to visit further north than Inverness, (perhaps St Magnus Cathedral on Orkney, maybe Shetland), further west than Glasgow (Oban springs to mind, as does perhaps the tiny yet charming Cathedral of the Isles in Millport on Cumbrae), and further into the Scottish Borders (oh wouldn't it be great to be able to sing in one of the ruined Borders Abbeys). But all of that's for the future. Watch this space. Or better still, come and hear us, maybe even come and join us!
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
RSCM Young Scottish Voices
Music will include the Introit Come on all ye people by Christopher Norton, Plainsong Responses, Psalm 100 arranged by Colin Mawby, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in c minor by George Dyson, and the Mozart anthem Dona Nobis pacem which has been arranged by G Strid and M Donnelly.
RSCM Young Scottish Voices is a choir made up of enthusiastic youngsters, and the future for choral music in Scotland looks bright if they're anything to go by. Please come along and support them if you can, in this their first visit to Glasgow.
If you can't get along but you have children aged 9-15 who may be interested in joining, please have a look at the RSCM Scotland website for details.
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