Royal Deeside

Our next choral outing is a visit to Royal Deeside where directed by Frikki Walker we shall be singing unaccompanied Choral Evensong at 4pm on Saturday 9th May 2015 in St Margaret's former Episcopal Church in the beautiful town of Braemar.

Last used for regular worship in 1997, St Margaret’s was built by the prominent Scottish architect Sir John Ninian Comper between 1899 and 1907 and ceased to be an Episcopal Church in 2013 when it was transferred into the care of the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust since when it has been developing into an arts and performance venue.

We see our visit to sing Choral Evensong as harking back to its illustrious past while firmly looking to what the future holds for this architecturally significant building set in beautiful Royal Deeside and less than 10 miles from Balmoral, home of Her Majesty the Queen, Royal Patron of the RSCM.

Introit:         Cantate Domino (Pitoni)
Responses:   Richard Ayleward
Psalms:        47 & 48 (chants by James Turle & Stanley Vann)
Canticles:    Magnificat Primi Toni (Giovanni Perluigi da Palestrina)
                     Nunc Dimittis (Thomas Luis da Victoria)
Anthem:      Praise our Lord (William Byrd)

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.

Free concert!

RSCM Scottish Voices member Sadie Maskery together with the other half of her regular duo Graham Cumberland are joining forces with soprano Sally Penman and pianist David Brown for an evening of light classical and jazz music entitled "Simply Because...." - simply because they want to help Rebecca Dalgleish raise money for the Children's Hospice Association Scotland. 

The concert is at Dirleton Kirk, East Lothian, Scotland EH38 5EH at 7.30pm on Sunday 22nd March 2015, and will include songs by Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Karl Jenkins. There is no charge, everyone is invited just to turn up on the night for a hour of enchanting music, followed by refreshments in the Dirleton Kirk hall. All donations are for Rebecca Dalgleish, whose mum Pam will a special guest at the evening (although she says she won't be singing!)

You can easily donate online by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-Dalgleish

Haddington 2015

After a lovely candlelit Epiphany Carol Service in Greyfriars Kirk, we now loook forward to continuing our 2015 season with a return visit to the lovely historic St Mary's Parish Church in Haddington, a few miles east of Edinburgh, on Saturday 7th March when we will sing Choral Evensong there at 4pm.

Directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Richard Walmsley, the music includes pieces by William Smith of Durham, Daniel Purcell, Maurice Greene, William Walton, and Philip Stopford.

Epiphany Carols by Candlelight

Come along to Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh on Saturday 17th January at 4pm to hear us sing a wonderful selection of Epiphany Carols, as part of Greyfriars' Spark Festival of Worship & the Arts.  Then stay around for a ceilidh afterwards (see contact details on the poster for how to book a place for the ceilidh).

Happy Christmas from RSCM Scottish Voices

Another year closes

A glorious Choral Evensong yesterday in St Ninian's Cathedral in Perth marked the end of a most enjoyable 2014 season for the members of RSCM Scottish Voices.

Our thoughts turn now to 2015 which we kick off in grand style on 17th January in Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh where we will present Epiphany Carols by Candlelight at 4pm.

The key to it all

St Giles' Cathedral

A great day was had by all in St Giles' Cathedral in the heart of Edinburgh yesterday as under the direction of Richard Walmsley we sang Choral Evensong including music by Peter Phillips, Humphrey Clucas, Herbert Howells, Franz Josef Haydn, and Frikki Walker, accompanied on the truly stunning cathedral organ by St Giles' assistant organist Peter Backhouse.

It turned out to be great weather considering the forecast was for heavy rain, and inside the cathedral was bright and flooded with sunlight, which helped us clearly see the massive number of tourists wandering round and peering over our shoulders to see what we were up to during the rehearsals!

One personal highlight was when the administrator was handed the key, the only key in existence, for the Queen's Thistle Chapel where we robed prior to the service, which you will see from the photo is a PROPER key!

Our next service, the last of 2014, is only four weeks from now, on Saturday 1st November 2014 in St Ninian's Cathedral, Perth when we will sing Choral Evensong for All Saints' Day at 4pm.  Watch this space for further details, and follow us on Twitter @RSCMScotVoices

Cantoris rehearsing

Key to the Thistle Chapel

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.

photo courtesy of RSCM/Chris Scott

St Giles

On Saturday 4th October 2014 we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, directed by Richard Walmsley and accompanied by Pater Backhouse, assistant organist at St Giles' Cathedral.

Introit: O Virum Mirabilem (Peter Philips)
Responses: Humphrey Clucas
Psalm: 65 (chant by Percy Buck)
Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis "St Paul's Service" (Herbert Howells)
Anthem: The heavens are telling (Franz Josef Haydn)
Vesper: Prayer for Peace (Frikki Walker)

This is our first visit to St Giles, one of the most significant churchs in Scotland, and we're very much looking forward to it!

Dundee

After a successful and enjoyable rehearsal weekend in Stirling University recently, we're all raring to get the second half of our 2014 season underway with a second visit to St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee on Saturday 6th September when we will be singing Choral Evensong at 4pm.

The music will be

• Introit: The Spirit of the Lord (Sir Edward Elgar)
• Responses: Richard Shephard
• Psalm: 32
• Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in A flat (Basil Harwood)
• Anthem: Let the people praise thee O Lord (William Mathias)

As ever, we will be directed by our Musical Director Frikki Walker and accompanied by our Assistant Musical Director Richard Walmsley.

The last time we visited Dundee the people at St Paul's Cathedral gave us a truly outstanding welcome, and we're very much looking forward to this return visit.

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

Moons and Junes

Our choristers are an undeniably talented bunch, and there are a couple of performances of a concert coming up which feature our very own Sadie Maskery on vocals which are well worth checking out if you can get to either.

The first performance is on Wednesday 6th August 2014 at 7.30pm in the Masonic Halls in North Berwick, and you can find details and buy tickets (from only £6) on the Fringe by the Sea website.

The other, for which the poster is reproduced here, is free (but donations would be very welcome) and is at 7.05pm on Tuesday 12th August in the tiny intimate venue of Ciao Roma, 64 South Bridge, Edinburgh.

Moons and Junes - Romantic songs from Gershwin to the Summer of Love

As part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (PBH Free Fringe) Graham Cumberland, classical guitarist, and Sadie Maskery, mezzo soprano, take you on a journey from the first kiss to the bitter (but oh so interesting) ends of love in (nearly) an hour of mellow jazz and popular music.

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!

Choral Evensong in Glasgow

The first half of our 2014 season draws to a close with our Choral Evensong at 4pm on Saturday 14th June in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow, the home choir of our Musical Director Frikki Walker and where a fair number of our choir members sing on a weekly basis.

Introit:          Hymn to the Trinity – Tchaikovsky

Responses:   Humphrey Clucas

Psalms:         148, 149 (chants by Brown & Stanford)

Canticles:     Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in b minor by Hugh Blair

Anthem:       Hail Gladdening Light – Charles Wood

Do come along and join the congregation if you're in the area.


At the end of our short summer break we'll be getting together in early August for a residential rehearsal weekend prior to the second half of the year getting underway on 6th September when we will pay a return visit to sing in St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee at 4pm.

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).

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.

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

photo by gordonrasmith

We are five!

 

After a lovely time in Peebles, our next outing is on Saturday 31st May 2014 when to celebrate the fifth year of our choir's existence, we will be joined by RSCM Young Scottish Voices, and members of our English sister choirs RSCM Voices North, RSCM Voices West, and RSCM Voices South in a celebratory Choral Evensong in Paisley Abbey at 4pm

Introit:          I was Glad – Parry

Responses:    Rose

Psalm:          150

Canticles:     Dyson in D

Anthems:      This Lovely Lady – Kelly

                     Let all the world – Vaughan Williams

Voluntary:     Carillon de Westminster - Louis Vierne

Do you want to sing in a Cathedral Choir?

The following is from our Musical Director Frikki Walker, who is also Director of Music at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow, in which a fair number of RSCM Scottish Voices members also sing:


The famous choir of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow has vacancies for TWO TENORS.

Requirements are: a good voice, some choral experience, a reasonable standard of musicianship and a sense of humour!

Coming up in the next few months is a week’s residency at Lincoln Cathedral, a Choir Concert, and the recording of a CD of music written for St Mary’s.

We are a voluntary choir currently comprising 20 choristers (boys and girls) and about 30 or so adults. We sing two services on Sundays and have a rehearsal on Thursday evenings. Music covers a huge range, from Medieval to present day, and we do regular broadcasts, concerts and recordings, all to a very high standard.

We are also a very sociable group, and there is much merriment and socialising to be had, too!

Recently we have had several young singers going on to study music at University, many gaining Choral Scholarships to Cambridge, Durham, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow Universities, and others have gained places to Music College or Conservatoires.

You can read more about the choir and the cathedral on our web-site: www.thecathedral.org.uk

Anyone interested is asked to email the Director of Music, Frikki Walker on
music @ thecathedral.org.uk

Peebles

Our next event is a first visit to the lovely borders town of Peebles where at 4pm on Saturday 5th April 2014 we will sing Choral Evensong in The Old Parish Church of Peebles which is right at the end of the High Street.

The music will be:

Introit: Christ has no body now but yours (Ogden)
Responses: Ayleward
Psalms: 42 & 43
Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in d minor (Walmisley)
Anthem: Salvator Mundi (Blow)

Our musical director Frikki Walker is unavailable that day, but we're delighted to be under the control of our assistant musical director Richard Walmsley.

Many thanks are due to Kim D Smith for permission to use the striking background image on our poster.

Linlithgow

On Saturday 15th February 2014 at 4pm we commence our 2014 season with a first visit to the lovely St Michael's Parish Church in Linlithgow, right next door to the historic Linlithgow Palace, where we will sing Choral Evensong directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Richard Walmsley.

Music includes:

Introit: Small wonder the star (Paul Edwards)
Responses: John Bertalot
Psalm: 147 (chant: Sir Charles Villiers Stanford)
Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in F (Sir John Ireland)
Anthem: Sing Joyfully (William Byrd)

Do come along and hear us if you're in the area, it'll be a beautiful service in a lovely church.