Highlights

Concerts

1949 13th March – The Society gave a hymn recital in Dunbar Old Parish Church, which was advertised as a “Festival of Hymn Singing”. This was quickly followed by its first public concert on 29 April 1949 entitled “The Chantant”

1950 December – The Society played host to the Scottish National Opera’s performance of “Excerpts from Opera”

1952 &1954 – The society took part in the Haddington Music Festival

1969 15th October – The Society took part in “The Lamp of Licht” concert presented by The Lamp of Lothian Collegiate Centre, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother at St Mary’s Parish Church, Haddington.

Throughout the 50’s and 60’s the Society gave several concerts in Haddington and in 1957 one in East Linton.

1992 & 1998 – The Society was invited to perform at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh as part of the “St. Giles’ at Six” Concert Series

1999 – Golden Jubilee. The Society commissioned James Letham to compose a piece for the society. He produced a work entitled “Psalm XXIII. The Lord Most Hie” which was performed at the Spring concert in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

In recent years the Society has taken their annual “Readings and Carols for Christmas” concert to other communities within East Lothian – Ayton, Gladsmuir, and the Great Hall Lennoxlove. These performances have been held in aid of various charities.

Scottish Premiere Performances

1973 Durufle’s “Requiem” (members of the choir from that time believe it to have been the Scottish Premiere, although this is unconfirmed).

1993 “Weisheit” performed with the kind permission of the composer Arvo Part and his publishers.

1995 Cesar Franck “The Last Seven Words Of Christ on the Cross”

BBC Broadcasts

1975 The Society was invited to take part in the radio program “Sunday Half-Hour”, broadcast on 19th January.

Also in 1975, the Society participated in the BBC’s “Songs of Praise” programme broadcast from Dunbar Parish Church on 28th September.

2010 In October the Society led the singing for the BBC Radio 4 Morning Service.

Twinning Events

1995 The Society travelled to Dunbar’s Twin Town Lignières, France. A performance of “The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross” was given in Bourges Cathedral on Palm Sunday.

In 2000 we returned to Lignières and in 2001 hosted a return visit by “Compagnons du Subdray”, a folk choir from the Lignières area.