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Scotland Sings announced its new Chorus Awards in 2015. The aim of these awards is to showcase the outstanding practice and great things going on in Scotland\u2019s choirs and to celebrate and honour the people who are promoting singing together. The awards are not about how well you sing or perform and they are open to any kind of choir, chorus or group of singers singing in any style, at any level.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to Ayr Choral Union<\/strong> who won the Milestone Award category. We asked them the following questions.<\/p>\n Tell us more about yourself \/ the choir<\/strong> How long have you been singing \/ has the choir been singing together?<\/strong> What have you\/has the choir got planned in the next 12 months?<\/strong> What has been the highlight of your \/ the choir’s singing journey?<\/strong> What got you singing in the first place \/ why did the choir first start singing together? How does it feel to be the first winner of the award?<\/strong> What styles of singing do you \/ the choir enjoy most?<\/strong> Read more about Ayr Choral Union<\/a> at their website
\nAyr Choral Union is a large and fairly traditional mixed voice choir. We rehearse weekly on Tuesday evenings, and have three big concerts a year, usually in Ayr Town Hall.
\nACU was founded in 1876, and this year we are celebrating our 140th birthday with a range of events, including a special concert in St Giles Cathedral, and an anniversary concert in October. We are hoping that all former members and friends will come and celebrate with us in this special “hits of 140 years” concert.<\/p>\n
\n140 years (the choir !)<\/p>\n
\nSunday 30th October 2016 Celebration 140th Anniversary Concert in Ayr Town Hall
\nSouvenir booklet, Cake, Exhibition and short history planned
\nSunday 18th December Christmas Concert
\nSpring 2017 Brahms Requiem<\/p>\n
\nToo many to pick from, but some of the joint concerts we have sung with our French twin choir Le Pincerais, from St Germain en Laye, deserve a mention<\/p>\n
\nSeveral musical groups existed in Ayr in 1876, when there was an increased interest, throughout Ayrshire and beyond, in choral singing especially using the new Sol-fa method of reading music. In October 1876 a group of interested singers joined together to form ACU. The choir recruited a remarkable conductor – Hugh McNabb – from Glasgow – and the rest is history!<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nLovely for our 140th birthday to be acknowledged!<\/p>\n
\nMainly traditional choral “big works” but we have particularly enjoyed more modern music by Karl Jenkins, James MacMillan, Bob Chilcott, Ken Johnstone, Eric Whitacre and Ola Gjeilo<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.ayrchoralunion.net<\/a><\/p>\n