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Local Choir Sweeps Provincial Mod Board
Aberfeldy & District Gaelic Choir won all its competitions at the annual Perthshire and Angus Provincial Mod on Saturday 14 June, despite stiff competition from Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir and Dundee Gaelic Music Association.
The haul of silverware included a new trophy presented by the Aberfeldy choir in memory of its former Gaelic tutor, Helen T Macmillan, who died last year. It will be known as Cuach Chlachmhor, (Gaelic for “Big Stone”) which was the name of Helen’s house in Aberfeldy, and is awarded to the choir with the best overall marks in Gaelic in the senior choral competition.
The Aberfeldy choir also won the coveted Westcroft Trophy, singing “Gleann Bhaile Chaoil”, and “Soraidh”, and the May Mitchell & Frances Matheson Cuach for the Puirt a’Beul (mouth music), with “Siud a bhalacha” and “An Gille Mor Foghainteach” (Strathspey & Reel).
“It was a really great day for the Choir” said Choir President Joan Bower. “We really owe our success not only to the hard work put in by every choir member, but to our conductor, Isobel Rutter, to May Brown, who does all the groundwork over the winter months when Isobel doesn’t do the long drive up from Glasgow -- and to our amazing Gaelic tutor Seonag Barbour who (almost) has us sounding like native Gaels!”
Summer Showtime
The choir has a busy few months ahead, preparing for this year’s Royal National Mod in Falkirk – but is currently organising “Summer Showtime”, a revue of comedy and entertainment aimed at raising choir funds, with a donation to a local cancer charity.
Among the highlights of this is promised to be ‘some hilarious sketches’ from Isobel Rutter who, as well as conducting the Aberfeldy choir is also a well known actress and comedienne. Also antics and wit from entertainer Val Munro and internationally-renowned singer and folklorist Margaret Bennett, who wished to appear in Aberfeldy despite her heavy commitments in Scotland and abroad, because of her particular affection for the Aberfeldy & District Gaelic Choir.Various members of the Choir may show some of their hidden talents too, including the much-loved ex-postmaster and “Dame”, Donald McCallum!
“Summer Showtime” runs for one night only, Saturday 9 August at 7.30pm, in the Aberfeldy Town Hall (or elsewhere in Aberfeldy if the Town Hall is being refurbished). Tickets (£10, and £8 concessions) are currently available from Kate Coaton on 01887 830315, though they will also be available from various outlets in Aberfeldy and Pitlochry nearer the time. Early booking is advised.
The choir is pictured above with its trophy haul
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