Helensburgh Oratorio Choir celebrate sold-out concert

Helensburgh Oratorio Choir’s sang to a crowd at Helensburgh Parish Church for their anniversary performance of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday, December 3.

The choir were supported by soloists Jamie MacDougall, Barbara Cole Walton, Jane Monari, Jonathan Forbes Kennedy, and a full orchestra.

Chair Alicia Tindal said: “We were delighted to play to a packed house and to have had such a successful event in this anniversary year.

“A big thank you to everyone who came to see us, and to all those who helped make the evening possible, including the soloists and members of the orchestra”.

The choir’s three young singers Marianne Ridland, Sara McGrath, and Eden Sanderson performed the Messiah.

Marianne said: “I was excited about performing in front of all these people. It was a great experience.”

Sara continued: “This was my first time on stage, and something I will remember.”

Eden added: “What a night. It was so exciting, and the orchestra were amazing”.

The vocalists joined the choir earlier this year under their Choral Scholarship programme.

The choir’s next big event will be their diamond jubilee concert, which will take place in the Glasgow City Halls on Sunday, February 18, 2024.

They will perform ‘Sea Symphony’ by R. Vaughan Williams, and several folk songs arranged by Derek J. Clark.

Full details are on the Helensburgh Oratorio Choir’s website: www.helensburghoratorio.co.uk.

Derek Clark, director of music at Helensburgh Parish Church, writes...

Any performance of ‘Handel’s ‘Messiah’ ought to be a special occasion for performers and audience alike, but there were several reasons why Helensburgh Oratorio Choir’s performance in the Parish Church last Sunday had that extra something which made it an occasion to be remembered by all who made up the capacity audience in the Parish Church.

The choir were celebrating their 60th anniversary, and it was good to hear them in robust form, relishing the many challenges of the music and producing a well-balanced sound throughout the evening as well as considerable power when required.

An excellent team of soloists, led by the choir’s patron, Jamie MacDougall, whose stylish singing of the opening sequence set the bar high for the other soloists, ensured that all the arias were in safe hands.

Soprano Barbara Cole-Walton, making a welcome return to Helensburgh, gave us an especially impressive ‘Rejoice, greatly’, every last semiquaver effortlessly in place, while Jane Monari provided darker contrast in her mezzo contributions, her ‘refiner’s fire’ aria being a particular highlight.

The line-up was completed by the young Scottish Baritone Jonathan Forbes Kennedy, a recent alumnus of the Royal Conservatoire, whose intelligent singing was another high point of the evening.

In partnership with the silver-toned trumpet playing of Simon Bird, he made sure that ‘The Trumpet shall sound’ made a fitting climax to the solo contributions.

The orchestra, a mixture of professional players from Scottish Opera and students from the RCS, led by Katie Hull, played Handel’s music with a sure sense of style, adding greatly to the success of the performance while never overwhelming the soloists or the choir.

In addition to the quality of the music-making, however, the evening was made extra special by being a tribute to Walter Blair, the choir’s conductor for more than a third of its entire existence, whose passing earlier this year left such a gap in Scotland’s musical life.

He would surely have been delighted with the performance, directed by the choir’s current conductor, Susannah Wapshott.

Her clear, unfussy conducting and innate musicianship underpinned the evening, inspiring all involved to give of their best to serve Handel’s music and also to make a fitting tribute to Walter.

Under her leadership, Helensburgh Oratorio Choir continues to go from strength to strength.

As we wish it ‘Happy 60th Anniversary’, may it continue to be part of the musical life of the town for at least another 60 years!