Heriot-Watt University Choir
26th May 2007

The Heriot-Watt University Choir presented a superb concert on Saturday May 26th to an audience of some ninety folk. The choir had performed earlier in the day at Stirling Castle and then travelled to be with us for a 7.30pm performance. However, they had a short practice in the church first before taking some refreshments organised by Juniper Green Parish Church's Social committee led that night by Maureen Heathwood and Shena Blair with earlier input from Sandy Watt.

The mixed choir is composed of students and staff.

The Heriot-Watt University choir enjoying tea before their concert as part of the Juniper Green 300 celebrations

Heriot-Watt University choir members enjoying a well-earned meal before their performance on May 26th

As you would expect of a university choir with a dynamic conductor like Steve King MBE would be a well researched, word perfect and polished performance and this is what we got. Steve had sought interesting pieces of Scottish music that took the audience from 1707 on a musical tour ending with two modern songs.

The concert opened with a delightful piece performed on hand bells taken from music commissioned at the joining of the English and Scottish Parliaments in 1707.

The choir then performed songs over the last three hundred years at intervals of approximately fifty year periods.

The musical piece entitled "Why should I be sad on my wedding day" performed on hand bells

The Heriot-Watt University choir singing at their concert for JG300 in Juniper green Parish Church

The evening ended with a version of Psalm 25 beautifully sung by the choir. As has become traditional on these evenings in our year of celebration many people stayed on to chat, have a cup of tea and talk about the next event in the calendar.

The full set of programme notes can be downloaded from this site. (pdf)

The choir receive a small gift to help with their next practice session