When it is Peace
Sunday 27th October 2024 at 7.30pm, Ayr Town Hall
Director – Andy McTaggart
Soprano – Catriona Smith; Tenor – Matthew McKinney
with Newmilns & Galston Brass Band, Andrew Forbes and McOpera Ensemble
Join us as we perform James MacMillan’s All the Hills and Vales Along and Karl Jenkins’s The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace.
The Armed Man was commissioned by the Royal Armouries Museum to commemorate the Kosovo Crisis. Written in 2000, this contemporary Mass is set within the framework of the Christian Mass and uses both sacred and secular texts. It has been described as a Mass for the secular age and incorporates many different musical styles and moods from the serene to the dramatically intense. All the Hills and Vales Along is set to the poetry of the World War I poet James Hamilton Sorley.
Tickets go on sale 10th September 2024 available from Ayr Choral members, Ayr Guitar and here on the website.
We are delighted to announce our 2024-25 Concert Season!
When it is Peace – Sunday 27th October 2024 – featuring James MacMillan’s All the Hills and Vales Along and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace with soloist Matthew McKinney and Newmilns and Galston Brass Band.
Joy! – Sunday 15th December 2024 – to get you in the festive spirit, we’ll be joined once again by our friends Newmilns and Galston Brass Band.
Hope – Sunday 30th March 2025 – including works by Schubert and Britten.
All concerts will take place at 7.30pm in Ayr Town Hall.
PAST CONCERTS
SING
27th April 2024 at Glasgow’s St Mungo’s Cathedral
I Was Glad (Parry); Cantique de Jean Racine (Faure); Locus Iste (Bruckner); Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen (Brahms); Bogorodiste Deyvo (Rachmaninov); Northern Lights (Ola Gjeilo); Sure on this Shining Night (Morten Lauridsen); Shall we Gather at the River (Sarah Rimkus); The Road Home (Stephen Paulus); Like a Singing Bird (Bob Chilcott); Island Spinning Song; Antiphon (Vaughan Williams)
Conductors: Andy McTaggart and Eden Devaney
Accompanist: Andrew Forbes
…and silence in the sky
17th March 2024 at Ayr Town Hall with The Caledonian Consort
Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms; Triptych by Tarik O’Regan
Conductor: Andy McTaggart
Soprano: Catriona Hewiston; Baritone: Ross Cumming
Noel
17th December 2023 at Ayr Town Hall with Newmilns and Galston Brass Band
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Christmas carols and songs including works by; Handel, Schutz, Kerensa Briggs, Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and Ola Gjeilo
Gloria
29th October 2023 at Ayr Town Hall
I Was Glad (Parry), Requiem (Faure),Gloria (Poulenc), Five Mystical Songs (Vaughan Williams)
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Soprano: Catriona Clark; Baritone: Colin Murray
Organ: Peter Shepherd
At the Cathedral
20th May 2023 at Glasgow Cathedral
A selection of both sacred and secular choral pieces including works by Byrd, Tallis, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Mullholland.
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Accompanists: Andrew Forbes, Peter Shepherd
Feel the Spirit
19th March 2023 at Ayr Town Hall
Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, John Rutter’s Feel the Spirit and well-loved opera classics, Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Verdi), Easter Hymn (Mascagni), Humming Chorus (Puccini) and Au Fond du Temple Saint (Bizet).
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Mezzo Soprano: Penelope Cousland; Tenor: Seamus Begg; Bass-Baritone: Will Frost
The Caledonian Consort
Christmas with Ayr Choral
with Newmilns and Galston Brass Band
11th December 2022 at Ayr Town Hall
Conductor: Andy McTaggart
Organ: Andrew Forbes
Christmas carols and songs, old and new, including music by Sweelinck, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, John Rutter, Victor C. Johnson and Kerensa Briggs.
An Atlantic Voyage
30th October 2022 at Ayr Town Hall
Music from the Americas and Scotland including Kyrie and Gloria from Missa Ego Flos Campi (de Padilla), Nocturnes (Lauridsen), Shall We Gather by the River (Rimkis), Lassie Wad Ye Loe Me (MacMillan), I Landed With Seven Men (Johnston).
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Piano: Claire Haslin
Narrator: Stuart McKinlay
ACU at Glasgow Cathedral
15th May 2022 at Glasgow Cathedral
Some of Ayr Choral’s favourite works including Zadok the Priest (Handel), How Lovely is thy Dwelling Place (Brahms), Northern Lights (Gjello), Like a Singing Bird (Chilcott), Air Falalalo (Johnston), The Road Home (Paulus), Island Spinning Song (Doughty).
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Organ/Piano: Andrew Forbes
St John Passion by J.S. Bach
3rd April 2022 at Ayr Town Hall
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Evangelist: Matthew McKinney; Jesus: Colin Murray; Soprano: Lottie Bowden; Alto: Penelope Cousland; Tenor: Ted Black; Bass: Will Frost
The Caledonion Consort
Christmas with Ayr Choral 2021
Sunday 12th December at Ayr Town Hall
A selection of Christmas Music including Von Himmel Hoch (Mendelssohn), O Magnum Mysterium (Lauridsen), A Ceremony of Carols (Britten)
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart; Assistant Conductor: Nils Meier
Soprano: Charlie Drummond; Baritone: Christopher Nairne; Harp: Sharron Griffiths; Organ: Andrew Forbes
Ayr Choral “Come and Sing” Vivaldi Gloria
Sunday 31st October 2pm at Castlehill Church, Ayr with Andrew McTaggart
Accompanist: Andrew Forbes; Soloists from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Christmas with Ayr Choral and Newmilns and Galston Brass Band
Sunday 15th December 2019 at Ayr Town Hall
A selection of music for Christmas including Gloria (Rutter), Vespers (Rachmaninov) and O Holy Night
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart; Assistant Conductor: Matthew McKinney
Soprano: Ellen Mawhinney
Into the Light
Sunday 27th October 2019 at Ayr Town Hall
A musical exploration of the themes of darkness and light, night and day including Requiem (Faure), O Nata Lux (Tallis), La Nuit (Rameau), Seeketh Him that Maketh the Seven Stars (Dove), O Radiant Dawn (MacMillan).
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart; Assistant Conductor: Matthew McKinney
Soprano: Charlie Drummond; Baritone: Arthur Bruce; Organ: Andrew Forbes; String Quintet: Ayr Choral Players
A Feast of Choral Music
Saturday 8th June 2019 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow
Music of the Masters
24th March 2019
Requiem (Mozart); Magnificat in D (Bach)
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Sopranos: Ellen Mawhinney and Jessica Leary; Mezzo Soprano: Sioned Gwen Davies; Tenor: Ted Black; Bass; Orlando Mason
Christmas with Ayr Choral and Newmilns and Galston Brass Band
Sunday 16th December 2018
A selection of music for Christmas including Christmas Oratorio (Bach), Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan Williams), Scots Nativity (Bullard), Christmas Lullaby (Rutter)
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Baritone: Colin Murray
For the Fallen
Sunday 28th October 2018
Greater Love hath no man (Ireland); Dona Nobis Pacem (Vaughan Williams); Eternal Light (Goodall)
Conductor: Andrew McTaggart
Soloists: Catriona Hewitson; Graham McCusker: Piano: Andrew Forbes; ‘Cellist: Andrew Huggan