Kevock Choir
Founded in 1967 from pupils of Lasswade High School, it takes its name from the picturesque valley between Lasswade and Loanhead, through which the River Esk flows. The membership is much wider now, with members coming from all over Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Most of the choir's concerts take place in central Scotland, but it has developed an international reputation over the years with visits to Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Hungary and Spain. It also performed in Germany at two Berlin Tattoos, in 1988 and 1992 (The Last Tattoo). In 2005 the choir was invited to perform in Live 8 at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, singing with Katherine Jenkins.
One of the highlights of recent tours was singing in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Closer to home, the choir visited Dingwall and Inverness in October 2012, and in October 2014 headed for the north east of Scotland.
The choir's repertoire is wide, ranging from traditional Scottish songs, religious pieces with composers as diverse as Bach and Tavener, to modern works by Rutter and Jenkins and show songs. The aim is to provide something to suit everyone's taste. The choir has two CDs for sale, "With a Voice of Singing" and "Thank You for the Music", the latter of which was recorded to celebrate their 40th Anniversary.
Facts
The Edinburgh Kevock Choir has long been recognised as one of Scotland's foremost large choirs. Its singing strength is currently around 60. The choir's main concert is held in May each year in the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, and other regular features are its Christmas Celebration in December and St Giles at Six at St Giles Cathedral in January each year. The choir also gives other concerts during the year and has raised over £400,000 for various charities. It is proud to have been the Edinburgh Military Tattoo Choir for many years until 2007.