A Helensburgh choir is gearing up to host their winter concert after wrapping up rehearsals for the show.

Helensburgh Oratorio Choir will be performing Handel’s Messiah at Helensburgh Parish Church on Sunday, December 3 - with the final rehearsals taking place this week.

The youngest members, Helensburgh locals Marianne Ridland and Sara McGrath, will be making their debut with the group, which they joined thanks to the choir’s Choral Scholarship programme.

The choir’s chair, Alicia Tindal, said “We are delighted that for a second year, we have young talent joining the choir.

“It gives them an excellent opportunity to learn with a choir and experience a live performance.

“We’ve sold nearly 300 tickets and would love to have a sell-out concert to end the year.”

The 75 choir members will be joined by soloists Barbara Cole Walton (soprano), Jane Monari (alto), Jamie MacDougall (tenor) and Jonathon Forbes Kennedy (bass), and will be accompanied by an orchestra featuring section principals from Scottish Opera and students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, led by Katie Hull.

The performance is part of the choir’s 60th anniversary programme and will in part honour their late musical director Walter Blair, who passed away this February.

Tickets are priced £15 for general admission but are just £7.50 for students and under 18’s.

They are available via the Helensburgh Oratorio Choir website: www.helensburghoratorio.co.uk.