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 ManA 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

May 2018 Lunchtime Concert at Paisley Abbey 
Spring 2018 Chichester Psalms (Bernstein); Magnificat (Rutter)
Christmas 2017 – Christmas with Ayr Choral and Newmilns and Galston Brass Band
Autumn 2017 – Choral Music of the Americas
May 2017 – A Choral Tapestry at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh
Spring 2017 – German Requiem and Schicksalslied (Brahms)
Christmas 2016 – Christmas music including A Ceremony of Carols (Britten)
Autumn 2016 – 140th Anniversary Concert 
Spring 2016 – Requiem (Dvorak)
Christmas 2015 – Carols with South Ayrshire Jazz Band
Autumn 2015 – Magnificat (Pergolesi), Magnificat (MacMillan)
Spring 2015 – St Matthew Passion (Bach)
Christmas 2014 – Carols with Forehill Primary School Choir
Autumn 2014 – Coronation Mass (Mozart), St Cecilia Mass (Gounod)
Spring 2014 – The Armed Man (Jenkins), Gloria (Poulenc)
Christmas 2013 – Gloria (Rutter)
Autumn 2013 – Requiem (Faure), Eternal Light (Goodall)
Spring 2013 – Requiem (Verdi)