The Aeolian at the Royal Concert Hall
in General May 4, 2016
The Aeolian at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall
The Aeolian were delighted to be guests of the Glasgow Phoenix Choir at a special celebration of the 100th Birthday Concert for the “ERSKINE”, caring for veterans since 1916.
The Glasgow Phoenix choir has a truly justified fantastic reputation both on concert platforms and in their many treasured recordings. Under the Conductorship of Marilyn J Smith they have delighted audiences with an inspired and innovative programme of songs and performances. We were delighted to join them on stage on Friday 22nd April 2016 to perform a magnificent programme of appropriate songs for the Erskine birthday celebrations. It was also a great tribute to Kilmarnock choirs to be the only town, city in Scotland to have 2 choirs performing as we were joined by the hugely popular and talented A Choired Taste. Well done Killie!
The Phoenix had organised a wonderful programme for all their guests also including The Royal Regiment of Scotland Symphonic Wind Band, The Military Wives Choir of the West of Scotland,Inverclyde Voices and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and a stunning Violin Soloist, Jane MacKenzie. The programme was patriotic, historic, sentimental, majestic, memorable, heart warming and all stunningly performed. Experienced concert goers at the GRCH deemed it to be one of the most memorable and wonderful evenings they had experienced for many a year.
The programme started appropriately with the National Anthem followed by a Fanfare for a Festival and The Pipes and Drums and Amazing Grace by a lone Piper. Highland Cathedral always
inspires and the Phoenix delighted with a tribute to the Orpheus Choirs All in the April Evening. Morte Christe featured the Aeolian choir and the “boys “ rose to the occasion with an inspired and emotional performance.
One of the highlights of the 1st part was Jane Mackenzie - Theme from Schindler’s List and The Military wives - Songs that won the Wars and the World War I medley was a fitting tribute for part one.
In Part 2 Under Marilyn Smith the Concert hall reverberated to a very powerful performance of Flower of Scotland, You Raise me up, When the Saints go marching in, The Prayer and there was not a dry eye in the house as the Military wives sang the highly emotive, Wherever you are.
We also had the Royal Regiment perform Star Wars and Nimrod both very popular and powerful pieces. A Choired Taste delighted with the highly charged - In Flanders Field - an original composition by their conductor Liam Baillie, derived from a poem by Capt John McCrae - it was very moving and appropriate for the evening. The evening concluded with all the choirs joining the band in the Abba song - Thank you for the Music and culminated with the audience joining the concert platform with the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
This was a wonderful, unique occasion and we all felt honoured to have been a part of it. We thank Marilyn Smith and the Glasgow Phoenix choir for their invite and all the other choirs and musicians for their inspired interpretations not to mention the wonderful audience who responded to every item with enthusiasm, love and respect.
Here’s to the wonderful ERSKINE team for all their amazing efforts and long may they continue to bring comfort and relief to those who lives have been affected by wars and combats.
The Aeolian were delighted to be guests of the Glasgow Phoenix Choir at a special celebration of the 100th Birthday Concert for the “ERSKINE”, caring for veterans since 1916.
The Glasgow Phoenix choir has a truly justified fantastic reputation both on concert platforms and in their many treasured recordings. Under the Conductorship of Marilyn J Smith they have delighted audiences with an inspired and innovative programme of songs and performances. We were delighted to join them on stage on Friday 22nd April 2016 to perform a magnificent programme of appropriate songs for the Erskine birthday celebrations. It was also a great tribute to Kilmarnock choirs to be the only town, city in Scotland to have 2 choirs performing as we were joined by the hugely popular and talented A Choired Taste. Well done Killie!
The Phoenix had organised a wonderful programme for all their guests also including The Royal Regiment of Scotland Symphonic Wind Band, The Military Wives Choir of the West of Scotland,Inverclyde Voices and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and a stunning Violin Soloist, Jane MacKenzie. The programme was patriotic, historic, sentimental, majestic, memorable, heart warming and all stunningly performed. Experienced concert goers at the GRCH deemed it to be one of the most memorable and wonderful evenings they had experienced for many a year.
The programme started appropriately with the National Anthem followed by a Fanfare for a Festival and The Pipes and Drums and Amazing Grace by a lone Piper. Highland Cathedral always
inspires and the Phoenix delighted with a tribute to the Orpheus Choirs All in the April Evening. Morte Christe featured the Aeolian choir and the “boys “ rose to the occasion with an inspired and emotional performance.
One of the highlights of the 1st part was Jane Mackenzie - Theme from Schindler’s List and The Military wives - Songs that won the Wars and the World War I medley was a fitting tribute for part one.
In Part 2 Under Marilyn Smith the Concert hall reverberated to a very powerful performance of Flower of Scotland, You Raise me up, When the Saints go marching in, The Prayer and there was not a dry eye in the house as the Military wives sang the highly emotive, Wherever you are.
We also had the Royal Regiment perform Star Wars and Nimrod both very popular and powerful pieces. A Choired Taste delighted with the highly charged - In Flanders Field - an original composition by their conductor Liam Baillie, derived from a poem by Capt John McCrae - it was very moving and appropriate for the evening. The evening concluded with all the choirs joining the band in the Abba song - Thank you for the Music and culminated with the audience joining the concert platform with the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
This was a wonderful, unique occasion and we all felt honoured to have been a part of it. We thank Marilyn Smith and the Glasgow Phoenix choir for their invite and all the other choirs and musicians for their inspired interpretations not to mention the wonderful audience who responded to every item with enthusiasm, love and respect.
Here’s to the wonderful ERSKINE team for all their amazing efforts and long may they continue to bring comfort and relief to those who lives have been affected by wars and combats.
The memory of the evening will live with us forever!
John Goodwin