Full houses mark return of Fife orchestra for first Christmas shows since 2019

The 60 piece orchestra draws members from across Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow, conducted by Graeme Wilson, and was joined for the occasion by the 53 voices of The Langtoun Singers, conductor Ella Wilson, and resenter Sandra Taylor, with appropriate and colourful digital images from Anne McIntyre.

With a seasonal theme of dancing, the orchestra's theme music of The Indian Queen set the scene for the afternoon performances, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for music making of the highest order.

In keeping with tradition, KOS offered a story with music - this yea’s a compacted insight into The Nutcracker Ballet, the words written and presented by Sandra which framed five movements of the ballet suite including the famous Dance of the Mirlitons and Waltz of the Flowers complete with harp cadenza.

Other dance music included Eoin Hamilton’s Christmas Dance and Debussy’s Ballet from his Petite Suite.

John Gourlay’s take on We Wish a Merry Christmas – We Wish You a Merry Fugue, an extended setting of the music for full orchestra proved very popular.

Christmas carols were in evidence too, with a set of sing-along items arranged by John allowing a mass vocal and instrumental 'raising of the roof'.

The Langtoun Singers contributed five songs including Ring out the Bells and Baby It’s Cold Outside. The Carol of the Bells, a Ukrainian carol, was added in support of and recognition of the country’s troubles as well as a welcome to a recent choir member’s arrival locally and her joining the choir.

The orchestra's next full performance will be ‘Dance On 6, Spring, on Sunday March 26, in the Old Kirk and will feature the first performance of John Gourlay’s Old Kirk Concerto no.3 A Big Song and Dance with soloist Stuart Smith, clarinet, Arturo Marquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo, two dances from Aaron Copland’s Rodeo, ABBA Symfonika, and the Trombone Concertino by Bruce Fraser with soloist Rebecca Strang, the composer’s granddaughter.

The Langtoun Singers present 'Music in May' on Friday, May 26 in the Old Kirk.