Come and hear Voices of Argyll Choir this Christmas, or better still go along and join them for a day, free of charge, with the warmest of welcomes.
The female chamber choir will be performing two Carols by Candlelight concerts; on Thursday, December 14 at 7.30pm at Kirn and Sandbank Parish Church, Dunoon, and on Sunday December 17 at 4pm at Glendaruel Village Hall; at each concert there will be performance from an Alba Ballet ballerina.
Before either of these events Voices of Argyll is holding a free singing workshop on Saturday, December 2 beginning at 10.30am at Glendaruel Village Hall, sponsored by Cruach Mhor Wind Farm, Glendaruel.
Choir director Alison McNeil of Scottish Opera, National Youth Choir of Scotland, National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland and RSNO says it will be a fun and inspiring singing workshop including vocal technique, musicianship and choral singing. Accompanist for the day will be Gina Baker.
After the free lunch, singers will join Voices of Argyll for a rehearsal and have the opportunity to take part in their Carols by Candlelight concerts.
Voices of Argyll has become a very successful choir with members travelling from as far as Lochgilphead, Langbank and Port Glasgow.
“Argyll is such a beautiful place but the Clyde can be a bit of a barrier to accessing things,” said Alison. She wants to bring more choral music here.
Amongst Voices of Argyll performances has been a ‘tour’ of Bute singing on the open-top sightseeing bus, at the pier and castle and their 2022 tour which included a performance at Inveraray Castle.
“We want to turn all of Argyll into a concert hall,” she added.
Alison has family on Islay, and, along with her sister Fiona and friend Mark Norris, performs as the folk rock group Reely Jiggered.
They are off to Kenya this week with the British High Commission and will be carrying out of number of performances include the Caledonian Society and at a refugee school.
The workshop is free and tickets for both concerts are on the door, or from wwww.voicesofargyll.com. The choir will also be performing at the Dunoon Burgh Hall Choir Gala Concert on December 1.