People’s Show Choir Black Isle to perform at Inverness Cathedral with more than 100 singers from across the UK

More than 100 singers from across the UK will join a Black Isle community choir for a concert at Inverness Cathedral later this month.

The People’s Show Choir Black Isle will perform with 11 other People’s Show Choirs and 20 players from The People’s Orchestra at the event on May 25.

It is part of a Highland tour organised by The People’s Show Choir and The People’s Orchestra, a charity which aims to make music and change lives by making music accessible to anyone, regardless of their experience, skills and background.

• RNLI Kessock crew records Christmas single with Black Isle choir

The organisation initially started as an orchestra in Birmingham in 2012 to give amateur musicians an opportunity to play together frequently.

The first choir was added in 2018 and has now grown to 20 choirs.

The Black Isle choir became the first Scottish branch in September 2023 when there was a massive turnout of about 80 singers.

This has now grown to nearly 100 members who meet weekly on a Monday evening in North Kessock Primary School where they are led by choral expert Ula Weber and accompanist Baz Chapman.

Ula, a choir conductor with more than 30 years’ experience has been blown away by how quickly the Black Isle choir has grown and developed:

“It can take years to establish and grow a choir, and yet within two years, we’re already tackling tricky repertoire and making a glorious choral sound,” she said. “I’m thrilled.”

Members of the Black Isle group joined other choirs on a tour to Krakow last year and also took part in a concert in March this year at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.

The Highland Tour, taking place over four days, will see the singers and orchestra visiting some of the local sights and taking a trip to Ullapool where they will also perform for a small French cruise ship and to the general public on the harbourside.

The Black Isle Show Choir has also organised a ceilidh in Dingwall to give the visitors a taste of Highland culture and hospitality.

Chris Weber, organiser of the Highlands tour and conductor of several Show Choirs, said: “This Highlands tour means we can link up with the Black Isle Show Choir in Scotland and make them feel part of the family.

“It will be especially good to link up with Black Isle Show Choir as they are a considerable distance from us.

“They are laying on the ceilidh, making the food for us and bringing in a ceilidh band, so that is going to be really good.

“Maybe we’ll come away knowing how to do Scottish dancing.”

The Cathedral concert, which starts at 7.30pm, will be attended by the Depute Inverness Provost, Councillor Jackie Hendry.

Concert tickets, priced £5 and £10, are available through Eventbrite.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.