The Bearsden Choir (previously known as Bearsden Burgh Choir) is a choir of 120 mixed adult voices based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was formed in 1968 and performs both sacred and secular classical choral works. The singer Jamie MacDougall is its Honorary President. The Herald described it as one of Scotland's leading choirs.MacDonald, Calum (3 July 2006)
"Grand Old Lady strikes right chords"
'' The Herald''. Retrieved 9 March 2014.

History

The choir was founded in 1968 by Harry MacGill, at the time organist of New Kilpatrick Church, with the initial objective giving a Christmas performance of Handel's ''Messiah''. This was so successful that it was decided to keep the choir going on a permanent basis. Over the years, it expanded its programming and has become known for its "imaginative repertoire" and "high standards of performance".Duncan, Lesley (8 April 2000)
"Passion at the heart of performance"
'' The Herald''. Retrieved 9 March 2014 . It has twice reached the finals of BBC2's Sainsbury's Choir of the year competition, won the four top awards for mixed choirs at the 1983 Blackpool Music Festival and in 2001 won the

Glasgow Orpheus Choir The Glasgow Orpheus Choir was founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1906 by Hugh S. Roberton. It originated in the Toynbee Musical Association, which had been created in 1901. The Glasgow Orpheus Choir came to be considered without peer in Britain, an ...

Trophy at the Glasgow Music Festival. The choir now performs at least three major concerts each year with a professional orchestra and soloists. It has been featured on television and radio, notably with the

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional r ...

performing three contrasting versions of the ''

Te Deum The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Ch ...

'' by Berlioz,

Bruckner Josef Anton Bruckner (; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer, organist, and music theorist best known for his symphonies, masses, Te Deum and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-Germa ...

and Dvořák. The choir has done several Songs of Praise recordings, including the live broadcast at

Glamis Glamis is a small village in Angus, Scotland, located south of Kirriemuir and southwest of Forfar. It is the location of Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. History The vicinity of Glamis has prehistoric ...

for the service of remembrance of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. As part of its Silver jubilee celebrations, the late

Lord Menuhin Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or a ...

conducted the choir in the first performance of Handel's ''Messiah'' in the

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is a concert and arts venue located in Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned by Glasgow City Council and operated by Glasgow Life, an agency of Glasgow City Council, which also runs Glasgow's City Halls and Old Fruitmarket v ...

. In April 2000 the choir gave an unabridged account of '' St Matthew Passion'' in

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbisho ...

to mark the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. In 2003 the Choir presented a number of major concerts in

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. It reopened in 2006 after a three-year refurbishment and since then has been one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions. The museum has 22 galleries, h ...

in aid of the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal. It also played a leading role in the Gallery's opening concert in 2006. Earlier that year the Berlioz ''Te Deum'', performed by the Bearsden and Paisley Abbey choirs, provided a test of the restored acoustics in the

Glasgow City Halls Glasgow's City Halls and Old Fruitmarket is a concert hall and former market located on Candleriggs, in the Merchant City, Glasgow, Scotland. History The City Halls are part of a market complex designed by John Carrick in 1882, but the grand ha ...

with the venue's first choral concert since its renovation. The choir has commissioned a variety of new choral works from contemporary composers. These have included ''The Lamb'' by Edward Harper, ''Harmony of Angels'' by Jennifer Margaret Barker, ''Ballade Pour Prier Nostre Dame'' by Martin Dalby and ''There was a lad'' by Glyn Bragg. In 2008, its 40th anniversary year, the choir commissioned a new work by Oliver Iredale Searle. The piece, ''23.VII.32'', was performed in both its forms, once with full orchestra and once with the reduced setting of piano, organ and percussion. The choir has also performed

David Fanshawe David Arthur Fanshawe (19 April 1942 – 5 July 2010) was an English composer and self-styled explorer with a fervent interest in world music.''The Times'' obituary 9 July 2010. His best-known composition is the 1972 choral work '' African Sanctu ...

's ''

African Sanctus ''African Sanctus'' is a 1972 choral Mass and is the best-known work of British composer and collector of world musics David Fanshawe. In ''African Sanctus'' the Latin Mass is juxtaposed with live recordings of traditional African music, whic ...

'',

Herbert Howells Herbert Norman Howells (17 October 1892 – 23 February 1983) was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music. Life Background and early education Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucest ...

's ''

Hymnus Paradisi ''Hymnus Paradisi'' is a choral work by Herbert Howells for soprano and tenor soloists, mixed chorus, and orchestra. The work was inspired in part by the death from polio of his son Michael in 1935. Howells wrote the work from 1936 to 1938, dra ...

'', and Elgar's ''

Dream of Gerontius ''The Dream of Gerontius'', Op. 38, is a work for voices and orchestra in two parts composed by Edward Elgar in 1900, to text from the poem by John Henry Newman. It relates the journey of a pious man's soul from his deathbed to his judgment b ...

'', the only performance of the work in Scotland in 2012. On 16 December 2018, the Bearsden Choir celebrated its 50th anniversary with a performance of Handel's ''Messiah'' at the Glasgow City Halls, Scotland and this was followed by a performance of the Bach B minor Mass in May 2019. Along with all other mass musical events, the summer part of the 2019-2020 season was cancelled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. The choir continued to hold 'virtual' rehearsals every week and produced works online which are available through our Youtube channel and via the website We have now started our first 'normal' season since the pandemic. We rehearse at the Wellington Church which is on University Avenue, Glasgow every Wednesday at 7:30pm

Organization

The Bearsden Choir has been a registered charity since 1980 and receives grants from the

East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire ( sco, Aest Dunbartanshire; gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north of Glasgow and contains many of the affluent areas to the north of the city, including Bea ...

Arts Council. The choir's singers are amateurs, chosen on an audition basis, augmented by professional soloists for major concerts. Its principal staff have included: *Musical Director Andrew Nunn 2018

The musical director is Andrew Nunn, under whom the choir has expanded its size, repertoire and reputation. *Accompanist Christopher Nickol (Nickol is also Director of Music at New Kilpatrick Church, Bearsden) *Honorary President Jamie MacDougall (Scottish tenor and TV personality)

Recordings

*''Tam o' Shanter and Songs by Robert Burns''. Bill McCue, Bearsden Burgh Choir, conducted by Renton Thomson. (The choral version of Robert Burns's "Tam o' Shanter" was composed by George MacIlwham.) Lismor RBLP 1790 (1979)Grant, Raymond J. S. (1986)
''The laughter of love: a study of Robert Burns''
p. 171. Detselig Enterprises. *''Bearsden Choir Sings Choral Favourites''. Produced by Acclaim Productions (2013)

References

External links

* {{authority control Scottish choirs Musical groups from Glasgow Musical groups established in 1968