Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.

FOR PEACE. Beith based Cunninghame Choir held a well attended concert entitled For Peace, on Sunday May 11 in St Columba's Church, Kilbirnie, to mark the centenary year of the beginning of World War 1. The musical director was Robin Versteeg and the guests were Eilidh McEwan (soprano), Maya Burman-Roy (Cello) and Maciej Granat (piano).

The programme began with Farewell to Arms  by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (1936-2012) and continued with The Cost by John Ireland (1879-1962) moved on to In Flanders by Ivor Gurney (1890-1937) and the first half finished with Down by the Riverside, a spiritual arranged by John Rutter (b. 1945).

After the interval, the second half was taken up with The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins (b. 1944). This demanding piece was commissioned by the Royal Armouries Museum for the new millennium and dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo crisis.

The choir, who were in tip-top form, were supported by Eilidh McEwan (soprano); Maya Burman-Roy (Cello); Maciej Granat (piano); Louise Burnett (piccolo); Alan Friel and Sandy McGrattan (trumpet); Glyn Forrest (percussion) and Matt Edwards (organ).

The challenging music was sung beautifully throughout by the enthusiastic choir who had clearly worked very hard to develop all the music to a very high concert standard. Interestingly, all the composers featured in the concert were British and the appreciative audience were delighted with the quality of the performance.

The talented choir members who took part in the concert were: Soprano: Marilyn Allan, Janet Barr, Collette Davis, Anne Forrest, Fiona Mackie, Judith McColm, Stella McLean, Mies Murphy, Ann Neilson, Elaine Parker, Janet Quinn; Pat Robertson, Brenda Shaw, Mary Stonelake, Karen Thomson. Alto: Maureen Aird, Hannah Berry, Pat Emslie, Jane Evans, Isabel Ferguson, Betty Gemmell, Anne Grant, Agnes Harris, Judith Maund, Margaret McMahon, Pauline Young. Tenor: Trevor Brawn, Andrew Clifford, Brian Murphy. Bass: Paul Berry, Bill Broadhurst, Crawford Farquhar and Iain Harris.

Congratulations to everyone in Cunninghame Choir and best wishes for the summer break and the happy singing days ahead. They resume their choral activities on Wednesday September 3 (and each Wednesday thereafter) at 7.30pm in Beith Community Centre. A warm welcome awaits new members.

From: E. Joyce Walker, Devotee

For Peace. Awe-inspired! I write in praise from this heart and soul - so 'shaken'. One word can only justice do - this performance t'was Breathtaking!

Thank you! All members and guest artistes/musicians of the truly wonderful, dedicated, Cunninghame Choir. With this entire concert, I feel you have excelled, even beyond all your previous superb expectations that never fail to lift my spirit. This concert was beyond exceptional - it was the ultimate in my, and others, opinion and I wish I could hear it all again. Thank you so very much.  Yours in admiration, as always.

Elizabeth Joyce (Mrs William Walker of Beith)