KILMALLIE

The Kilmallie Singers’ annual carol concert, which for many families heralds the start of Christmas, will be held on Saturday December 21 at 7.30pm.

This popular event will again be held in Duncansburgh MacIntosh Church on the Parade, Fort William.

The choir’s performance of Christmas carols and songs, some well-known and others that are less familiar, will offer something for every taste.

The audience will be invited to join in and there will be the usual highlight when boys and girls are invited to accompany the choir and audience as they sing a wellknown carol by playing percussion instruments.

This year, the choir will also perform choruses from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ – a preview of their forthcoming 50th birthday celebration concert in April 2020, when the complete piece will be performed with the Dalriada Singers - previously Corran Singers with whom they have a longstanding association - soloists and orchestra.

Their conductor will be Catherine Cameron, accompanist Jennifer Skene and they will be joined by guest organist Kerr Jamieson. Heather Hook, French horn, and Fiona MacCormick, voice, are this year’s special guests.

Tickets, priced £5 for adults, £4 for concessions and £1 for children, will be available at the door, which opens at 7pm.

There will be retiring collections on behalf of the choir’s chosen charity, Clic Sargent (Childhood Cancer and Leukaemia in Children) Scotland. Over the years the Kilmallie Singers’ concerts have raised more than £8,000 for this worthy cause. There will also be a collection for Lochaber Sensory Care, a charity which helps more than 1,500 people each year who are hard of hearing or visually impaired.