THE organ at Greenock Town Hall will feature in a public concert for the first time in more than 20 years when Greenock Philharmonic Choir perform next month.
The choir are returning to the town hall after many years for a special concert, at which they will be joined by members of Voices of Inverclyde Senior Schools and singers from St Mary’s Primary School, Greenock.
They will be accompanied by Glasgow Chamber Orchestra for the programme of Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicolas and Vivaldi’s Gloria.
The organ, which is an Allen Digital, was originally installed in 1978 after fundraising led by the late Ian McCrorie, who was an important figure in Inverclyde’s music scene.
It has been gathering dust for at least two decades, but, with the help of hall operators Inverclyde Leisure, it has recently been serviced and cleaned up by Allen Organs.
The choir’s musical director Nicholas Wilks said: “We are delighted to be giving our audience the rare opportunity of not only hearing the organ of Greenock Town Hall after a number of years, but also the chance to sing with it in music by Benjamin Britten.
Darren Prior of Allen Organs UK, who recently serviced the instrument, said: “It is wonderful to know that it will be played again. It is great for us to come out and to continue to service it.”
Mr Wilks added: “We are delighted that Glasgow Chamber Orchestra will be returning to play with us for this concert. Both works were written for young people, albeit centuries apart and in very different circumstances. We will be joined by members of Voices of Inverclyde Senior Schools under Polly Beck and singers from St Mary’s Primary School, Greenock.
“Our soloist for St Nicolas will be the Greenock tenor, Euan Macdonald, and the soloists for the Vivaldi will be Polly Beck and Elysia Wilson.
“We are especially pleased that Hebba Benyaghla, our weekly accompanist, and her colleague Chris Baxter will be playing the piano duet, and that Chris Nickol will be playing the Greenock Town Hall organ.
“This concert will honour the important legacies of Agnes Park and Alistair Massey, two significant and forward-looking Greenock musicians.”
The concert is on Saturday 28 March at 7pm, and ticket details can be found on the website of Greenock Philharmonic Choir.
