FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR THE CHOIR
Scottish Police & Community Choir to Perform in the Royal Albert Hall, London
The Scottish Police & Community Choir (SPCC) are thrilled to be representing Police Scotland at fantastic celebration in London on Saturday 11th May, 2019.
The SPCC were approached in July 2017 by the British Police Symphony Orchestra and invited by them to represent Police Scotland in performing at the Royal Albert Hall, London as part of the Charity Gala Concert for their 30th Anniversary celebrations, with Mr Nick Knowles (DIY SOS, TV presenter) as compere.
Preparation and planning have been ongoing since 2017 and the choir are excited that their debut in such an iconic and world renowned venue is now less than two weeks away. With 90 members travelling to sing as part of a massed choir, the SPCC have been very busy rehearsing a varied programme – far removed from their usual repertoire! Music includes Highland Cathedral, Finlandia, Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand, Hymn to the Fallen, Danny Boy and Suo Gan. The Police Choir have also arranged a Police Scotland flag bearer to be part of proceedings.
The choir are delighted to have the support of the Scottish Police Federation and the Scottish Police Credit Union in attending this event. Indeed, the SPF have also been very generous in providing the choir with their specially commissioned tartan to wear in the Royal Albert Hall, as they continue to celebrate their Centenary year.
SPCC encourages the ethos of fun, friendship and fundraising, by means of community engagement, singing and performing. They are committed to the wellbeing of members, inclusivity, sharing the health benefits of singing together for pleasure and supporting good causes, all while promoting a positive and professional image of Police Scotland in communities. Formerly Tayside Police Choir (founded 2010) and Strathclyde Police Choir (founded 2012), they became the Scottish Police & Community Choir in 2013 with the change to the national police force. What started as a workplace choir quickly grew and they are now made up of serving police officers, police staff, retired police officers and support staff, partner agency staff, friends, family and members of the community with rehearsals in Perth and Glasgow areas. They have performed across Scotland and also collaborated with international performers such as Russell ‘The Voice’ Watson and Dougie MacLean, raising thousands of pounds for charity in the process.
Rehearsing and performing in their own time, they also organise and lead free community events promoting social inclusion and reducing loneliness and isolation by bringing people together both within the choir setting and in the community. This commitment to community engagement through music has led the choir manager in Perth, PC Fiona Wilson, to set up a Playlist For Life Help point (see https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/ for more information) through the SPCC and providing weekly volunteering with a regular Dementia support group.
The BPSO Charity Gala Concert takes place at the Royal Albert hall London on Saturday 11th May, 2019. There’s still time to obtain your ticket for this amazing Charity event on the link below.
