DECEMBER 2025 CONCERT

A rousing rendition of Oh Come all Ye Faithful, with choir, audience, and organ in full voice, completed a lovely evening of festive music. Part 1 of Handel’s Messiah was followed in the second half by a wide and varied selection of carols from a number of different countries.

The choir was accompanied by the Berwick Arts Orchestra led by Cath Cormie. The choir was directed by Marion Scammell. Our normal accompanist, Alison Fraser, sadly came down with 'flu two days before the concert - after a few hours of anxiety we were delighted to find Heather Cattanach who stepped in at the last minute to fill Alison's shoes with great aplomb.

Soprano Maria Waszyrowska

Soloists were:

• Maria Waszyrowska (Soprano - currently a music teacher at Berwickshire High School)

• Felix Schneideman (Countertenor – lives and performs in London having completed a Choral Scholarship at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh)

• Michael Wood (Tenor/baritone – plays in the Borders Chamber Orchestra and is Chair of the Borders Chamber Choir)

• Philip Blackledge (Bass – Chair of the Borders Music Festival and Chair of the Melrose Music Ensemble).

Cameron Robertson performed the solo in The Three Kings. Our organist was again Calum Landon - now an Organ Scholar at St Salvator’s Chapel, at St Andrews University.

The choir returns with Parts 2 and 3 of The Messiah at their Spring Concert on 18th April next year, again in Berwick Parish Church. The choir starts rehearsals again on 15th January 2026 in Spittal Community Centre.