What a beautiful thing to have a group of mature, dedicated adults mixed with the young, vibrant group of 40 children (guided by the fabulous Moira Morrison and superb pianists, Paulius Rudokas and the young Sarah Lake) to entertain us for the evening - proceeds in aid of the Rotary Club, Dunbar.
First up were Dunbar Choral with conductor Philip Rossiter, singing ‘Songs from Paul Simon’, opening with Scarborough Fair and El Condor Pasa, The latter became a little bit lost towards the end, but all was restored by an impressively husky, sultry The Sound of Silence followed by Bridge Over Troubled Water, sung with passion (if perhaps a somewhat rushed version of this dramatic song) and supported by an animated accompaniment from pianist Marian Thomson.
Dunbar Voices opened the next set ‘Fun Favourites’ with a singing and action entrance through the audience for their lively Scooby Doo song.
How Far I’ll Go was sung by the older groups, with an impressive follow up of Bohemian Rhapsody producing an astonishing display of the many (and perfect) harmonies from the whole choir. Completing the set came A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman drawing out some strong vocal talent from the older boys.
After a short interval, Dunbar Voices performed their second set. Among the varied selection of tunes from ‘Around the World’, Brunner’s Yo Le Canto’s fiery intro from pianist Paulius Rudokas led us to a tight and passionate ensemble and Spanish clapping rhythms . Not Last Night but the Night Before (an old skipping rhyme) was clearly also a favourite embellished with Step back baby, step back… involving equally engaging actions and train sounds! Finally, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody’produced yet more impressive harmonies with a side stepping beat throughout - another clear favourite for our fabulous young choir.
Dunbar Choral’s final set brought a selection of Scottish Traditional Songs, sung like the most reverent of hymns. Opening with Afton Water, the choir gave a beautifully warm rendition with a good balance of harmonies. Ae Fond Kiss was equally heartfelt with powerful input from the six strong tenor and bass sections! Though The Campbells are Coming may have had a wobbly start, the jaunty march soon became apparent, thanks to the expertise of pianist Marion Thomson and choral director Philip Rossiter and had a great finish.
The concert finale of When the Saints (a brilliant arrangement by John Rutter) brought some serious toe-tapping in the audience. A gutsy performance that was lively and fun, with the tenor and bass, despite their limited number, shining through. Watching the director carefully, this 40 strong choir’s final “Yeah!” rang out in perfect unison.
A thoroughly enjoyable evening was most definitely had by all!
Lucy Spratt