Summer Delights from the Rowan Singers

by Sue Davidson

On Friday 15th July the audience assembled in the high school theatre for the Rowan singers’ summer concert. Sitting watching people arriving, I had the feeling that this was a good social event where friends from all over the island could catch up with each other. As the auditorium filled, there was a great feeling of anticipation which was infectious.

The choir entered the theatre to thunderous applause and took their places. The new line up was a great improvement as the audience was able to see every singer and they certainly looked very smart.
The concert began with a rousing arrangement of Scots Wha Hae which certainly whetted our appetite for the rest of the show. Then came Faure’s Tantum Ergo Sacramentum beautifully performed, followed by the Stanford Magnificat  which was sung so confidently and with such feeling. The audience were enthralled.

Following Isobel’s solo Angels Guard Thee, there was a complete change of mood with Ivor Novello’s We’ll Gather Lilacs and Waltz of My Heart. These had the audience swaying in their seats and they needed little encouragement to join in the chorus.

The Senior Moments invited us to guess the television programme and remember the advertisement as they gave an excellent performance of The Lord is my Shepherd and I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.
The choir went from strength to strength as they tackled an arrangement of Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies and they certainly rose to the challenge. They were joined by Kerrie Calder, the talented young flautist, for this number and it was marvellous. Kerrie then played a beautiful Mancini/Mercer Medley and there was not a dry eye in the room. The first half ended with a piece from The Creation which the choir performed with confidence and obvious enjoyment.

The second half of the concert was also full of variety, beginning with Harvest Song by Brahms and a rousing piece by Elgar called The Dance. Then we were treated to Sonatine from Kerrie who is so good to watch as well as listen to, such talent from someone so young.

A group from the choir sang You are the New Day which had beautiful harmonies. There was a complete change of style again as the choir performed a lovely little Yiddish folk song, Tumbalalaika. John gave us a beautiful solo before being joined by Isobel for a very animated and amusing version of The Owl and the Pussycat. The two spirituals which came next were enough to send shivers down your spine and so beautifully sung.

Kerrie, again, enchanted the audience with Chanson and Aria from Suite Antique by John Rutter.
All too soon the concert drew to a close with The Gondoliers Cachua-Dance and Finale. The audience were in no hurry to let the choir go and wanted an encore, so they were rewarded with Blue Skies which seemed a fitting close to a concert of such an eclectic mix. Once again the Rowan Singers had given us an evening to remember and it is so refreshing to see in the Hamiltons such musical talent and yet such small egos.

Thank you all for your hard work in producing this concert. It truly was an evening of summer delights.