The Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir Conquers Scotland (well, a couple of bits of it!)

The YPC had a hectic weekend over the late May Bank Holiday, with recitals in the fabulous setting and acoustics of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on the Saturday and in the very charming Holy Trinity Church in St Andrews on the Sunday.  

Both were enthusiastically received by appreciative audiences who were fulsome in their praise and their expressions of delight in the lovely programme; the sound made by the choir; the truly fabulous organ accompaniment and the energy and talent of the choir’s musical director.

Both programmes were similar, with the centrepiece in each case being the Faure ‘Requiem’, a piece the choir sings without copies in order to maximise the enjoyment of, and engagement with, the audience.  

Both programmes also featured arrangements of traditional Scottish folk songs by the choir’s musical director, Dr. Andrew Padmore.   These included the hauntingly beautiful Spirit Of God; the love story with a sting in the tail, ‘Ye Banks and Braes of Bonnie Doon’and the lilting ‘I’ll Take the High Road’.  

Audiences at both venues were privileged to hear the lovely, clear and pure voice of Janette Fraser (Soprano) in the ‘Pie Jesu’in the Faure ‘Requiem’.  The baritone solo in both the Faure and ‘I’ll Take the High Road’, two pieces of very different character, were sung by Miles Taylor, a wonderful and highly accomplished soloist. 

The talented organist Tom Moore filled both churches with amazing sound.  Tom never fails to astonish with his skill in getting the very best out of an unfamiliar instrument and acoustic.

Once again, Dr Andrew Padmore devised a varied, entertaining and enjoyable programme that gave the choir the opportunity to sing at their very best.  Andrew directed the choir with his customary dynamism and musicality giving both audiences a real taste of the excellence the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir is capable of!