News of Scottish Community Song Groups

October 2009 Sangschule are providing musical support to Sangsters, Gordeanna McCulloch and Stairheid Gossip in Linlithgow Oxfam Group's Folk Night.

Saturday 31st October at 7.30 pm in Linlithgow Academy Theatre.

Sangschule hosts this ever-popular event at Linlithgow Folk Festival on Saturday 12th September (11.30 am to 12.30 pm in the Festival Hub at the Masonic Hall). Details of this and other festival events on the Linlithgow Folk Festival website.

August 2009 New groups listed on this site - new to us anyway!

The Scottish Culture and Traditions Association in Aberdeen runs Scots Song classes. Lots of information about these and other activities on their website, and contact details now on the Listings page of this site.

August 2009 Update on Scots Music Group's free ceilidh in Trafalgar Square in London

Pictures now available!

August 2009 More activities across the Border! David Burbidge runs lots of singing activities in the far northwest of England. Find out more about:
a) Tuesday night community choir in Kendal,
b) the Singing Cyclists weekend in September,
c) the Settle Carlisle singing weekend in November, and
d) the folk carols festival in December
from David's website - www.lakelandvoice.co.uk

August 2009 Singing workshop with Brendan Taaffe in Glasgow hosted by Muldoon's Picnic.

Saturday 15 August 2-4pm at Hillhead Baptist Church Hall,Cresswell St, Glasgow G12 8AE. £5

Harry Campbell tells us that "Brendan Taaffe is a composer and arranger who has toured with Northern Harmony, taught with Village Harmony, and given vocal workshops in Ireland, Bulgaria, England and the U.S...

"In the the workshop we'll explore the richness of the "American vernacular": early gospel, Appalachian ballads, shape note hymns, shaker songs, and Brendan’s own compositions and arrangements. This music comes from traditions of unaccompanied, multi-part harmony—we'll learn by ear, and learn multiple parts for each song. No experience is necessary—singing is a birthright for all of us, so come and sing, even if (especially if) your primary school music teacher told you not to. Though word-sheets and written notes will be available, all of the pieces will be taught first by ear."

Harry says that no advance booking is necessary, though it would be helpful if you can let him know if you're coming, just to give an idea of numbers. Contact him on harry@muldoonspicnic.org.uk

August 2009The Scots Music Group invades London! Members of Edinburgh's Scots Music Group will be holding a free ceilidh in Trafalgar Square in London on Monday August the 3rd at 6pm. They'll be celebrating the Scots Music Group community, raising the organisation's profile, and having plenty of fun while we're about it! A member of Ceilidh Caleerie (the Scots Music Group's ceilidh band) has won a spot on the 'One and Other' Plinth. She's planning to call a ceilidh, while members of Ceilidh Caleerie & friends play at the foot of the plinth. SMG says that they’d like to see as many people dancing in the square as possible. Please come along... bring your family and friends, and wear something yellow and a splash of tartan. They need both dancers and supporters to come along, so if you are able to come or have friends or family in London who fancy a ceilidh, do encourage them to come along and support them. The performance will be shown live on the website about the plinth, at www.oneandother.co.uk so if you can't come, you can watch the fun live online.

July 2009The Scots Music Group, Edinburgh has new groups programmed for the autumn. See their website at http://www.scotsmusic.org/

May 2009 Angus Folk - singing workshop with Yvonne Burgess on Saturday 30th May.

Yvonne has directed the Voice House community choir in Edinburgh since 2001; she has arranged and composed music with great enthusiasm and now runs monthly "spirituals" workshops (or "Songs of the Earth and Heart"), teaching her own chants and songs, in addition to teaching regular singing groups and choirs in the Fife and Edinburgh areas. Her philosophy is simply that everyone can sing. Yvonne will lead a varied workshop with African, gospel, blues, pop and traditional songs in three or 4-part harmonies.

Full details of the workshop on this flyer.

For more details, including on-line applications, visit the website of Angus Folk.

May 2009 Angus Folk - Community Concert - An evening with Angus Folk and special guest Amy Lord.

Tuesday 26th May 2009 at 7.30pm in Kirriemuir Old Parish Church Hall, Kirriemuir, Angus. Ticket prices are £6 full price, £5 for members and concessions and £3 for children. As usual, wine, soft drinks and a buffet supper will be available at the interval for a small donation.

Amy Lord will be well known to many; having started singing in her early teens at Dunblane Folk Club, she obtained a BA Honours degree in Scottish Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2007 and whilst there, studied under some of Scotland's most respected Scots singers, including Gordeanna McCulloch, Alison McMorland and Rod Patterson. Amy teaches Scots Song to several traditional singing groups in Scotland, including Angus Folk, and runs two successful women’s singing groups in Dunblane called ‘The Liltin’ Lassies’

More information on this event, including how to get tickets, is available here.

May 2009 Craig Morgan Robson - workshop in Penicuik.

Lots of people will remember CMR from the recent Singers' Gathering Gathering at Bathgate. They're back in Scotland, teaching some songs from their repertoire as well as providing help with vocal techniques and group singing. In case anyone who was at the Bathgate workshop is wondering, there will be some different songs to work on! Comments from the Bathgate workshop - "The workshop was uplifting, and involved everyone fully". "CMR were a pleasure to work with".

Sunday May 10th 2 p.m. at St. James the Less Church, Broomhill Road, Penicuik.

For more details, contact Alan Murray on 01968 678405

May 2009 Scots Music Group Playathon - Edinburgh

Saturday May 9th 11 am to 6 pm at Christ Church Hall, Morningside Road, Edinburgh (at Holy Corner!)

The Scots Music Group is planning a day of musical fun! Probably the longest running of its type, the SMG runs a great range of classes and activities! For the performers, it’s the fun and challenge of keeping the music, song and dance going, and for the people who come along, it's the fun of hearing and seeing a whole day of talented and enthusiastic performances.

Here is a flyer about the day's activities.

April 2009 Spring into summer with Wendy Carle Taylor.

"Meet new people and sing together in a welcoming group - you will not be asked to sing on your own. Lunch is included and, weather permitting, we may sing outdoors for a short time in the orchard. Lovely songs in a mixture of styles, both traditional and contemporary, to celebrate the splendour of Springtime and the promise of Summer."

Saturday 18th April - Registration at 10am for 10.30am start. End 4pm.

At the Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh EH9 1BB www.gilliscentre.org.uk There is limited parking & access for people with disabilities.

For all tuition, refreshments, soup & sandwich lunch: £50 (full waged*) £35 (part/low waged*) £20 (unwaged*)

*Wages do not always reflect financial circumstances – please choose the level which best represents your personal situation

More information on Wendy's website

All year - April to December 2009 Various singing events in Cumbria and north-west Yorkshire, and one on Jura.

David Burbidge is a well-known song teacher, who organises a great programme of courses and activities for people who enjoy singing together.

Information about his courses is on David's website (www.lakelandvoice.co.uk)

April 2009 Northern Streams festival - Edinburgh and elsewhere

Northerns Streams Events of interest to singers include:

Saturday 4 April: Northern Streams 2009 Workshops

10am: Swedish songs in a choral/harmony style

12.30pm: Saami joiking and songs for adults – no knowledge of Saami required!

10.30-11.30am: Northern Streams 2009 Children’s Singing Workshop

March 2009 Seinn ’san Earraich - "Spring Sing" - Duddingston Kirk Hall, Duddingston Road West, Edinburgh.

Gaelic singing workshop - 21 March 2009

Not the sort of event usually advertised here, simply because we leave Gaelic to those who know more about it, but this looks too good to miss!

- Singing for Fun and voice coaching with Wendy Carle Taylor (no experience necessary)
- Gaelic pronunciation with Michael Bauer – getting the sounds right
- Singing in harmony
- Sessions suitable for beginners as well as more experienced Gaelic singers

More information here.

Please note they want bookings in by 10th March.

February 2009 The Singers' Gathering: Bathgate, West Lothian. Fri 14th to Sat 15th February 2009.

Edinburgh and Lothians TMSA, in partnership with West Lothian Council, runs the latest in a longstanding series of singers' events for groups and individuals. With workshops, talks, sessions, concerts, including a Performance Platform for community song groups, this major event offers much for anyone who loves singing.

More information here.

November 2008 On November 15th in Edinburgh, the Scots Music Group will once again celebrate The Power of Song - a day of workshops for singers with many exciting activities planned. Lots more information on the SMG website

October 2008 On October 25th, Sangschule will be running a taster session at St Peter's Church, Linlithgow High Street; more details of this and many other arts events in Linlithgow during that week on the website of Celebrate Linlithgow.

August 2008 A change of venue for Sangschule in West Lothian; they are moving temporarily to Linlithgow Academy while their usual home in the Burgh Halls is refurbished as part of a major redevelopment of that building. Here is more information about their new location.

February 2008 And another new group in Stirlingshire - the Bracklinn Singers, which grew from the LediBirds, now sadly not singing together. With four groups meeting there, Stirlingshire is now the second most active area in the Scottish community song group movement after Edinburgh!

January 2008 News of a new group, meeting in the Scottish Borders, at Clovenfords, near Galashiels. One Voice is tutored by Kathy Stewart, who brings enormous enthusiasm and a great range of songs.

December 2007 Congratulations to the Scots Music Group in Edinburgh - winners of the 'Community Project of the Year' category of the Scots Trad Music Awards. Well deserved - the SMG runs a wide range of musical activities in Edinburgh, and several of its song groups feature on this site.

August 2007 ...And here's a possible solution for singers in Stirlingshire - the Liltin' Lassies in Dunblane, a group set up a few months ago, originally for a limited life-span, appears now to be a permanent arrangement. Under the tutelage of Amy Lord, a recent RSAMD graduate and an inspirational singer herself. Only possible hitch appears to be if you are a Liltin' Laddie!

July 2007 We are sorry to report the passing of the Ledi Birds from Callendar, a group that provided much enjoyment to many in the Callendar area and that was very active in the community song group scene. We hope that ex-members will find other outlets for their singing!