TMF Spotlight by Margaret Ferguson Burns

A wonderful party with drink and daffing, sang and dance (and ploys and kisses got their chance), in brilliant sunshine at Duddingston Community Walled Garden, marked the end of a very special time for Sangstream. After 12 very successful years, Mairi Campbell was leaving us to pursue different challenges and develop her career.

This came at the end of a terrific year for Sangstream with many charity concerts which included the Parkinson’s UK Festive Concert at Greyfriar’s Kirk; we commissioned a song from the Big Project at Broomhouse, joining the young people for their summer concert to sing A Beautiful Sound together; and we had our Tradfest concert Sing a Song for Scotland at the Pleasance.

The highlight of the session was the opportunity to take part in A Winter’s Night at the Storytelling Centre, two magical nights of seasonal stories, songs, poems and music.

Thanks Mairi, and very best wishes, it really was a blast…

We were joined for our annual Summer Workshops by Robyn Stapleton, Mary McCann, Amy Lord and Corrina Hewat our new Musical Director, giving us a taster of what is to come. Corrina is taking us through some new material while enabling us to keep our favourite repertoire alive too – an enjoyably interesting and exciting challenge for us in creating a new partnership – hopefully a long and happy one.

Our monthly Sessions at the Captain’s Bar in Edinburgh give members, friends and visitors a chance to sing together in a relaxed atmosphere. Always good fun. Last year our annual weekend away was in Crianlarich, with plans going ahead for Moffat this session. We have many concerts leading up to Christmas and beyond, including events at the Royal Botanic Garden and Writers’ Museum, with the possibility of a trip to Galway too.

With choir numbers kept at 60 we usually have a short waiting list, and we’d be pleased to hear from anyone who enjoys singing Scots Folk Songs (usually with no musical accompaniment).

www.sangstream.org.uk