Queen's backing for Black Isle event
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A BLACK Isle performance which will showvcase the talents of musicians and singers from across the Highlands and well beyond has won the royal seal of approval.
The Black Isle Mozart Requiem is a community concert which pools the talent of a whole range of individuals for a public performance which is being held in Fortrose on November 6.
Tickets for the performance got off to a flying start at the Black Isle Gathering last week with the surprise arrival of a message from Her Majesty the Queen at Balmoral.
The letter, signed by her Lady-in-Waiting Lady Hussey, was sent to event manager Verity Walker and reads, "...I am to send you her Majesty’s best wishes for the Black Isle Mozart Requiem community concert you are organising, and her hopes that your fundraising efforts for the event will be a great success."
Verity explained that she had written to Balmoral with a query about one of the recipes in the recently-published 1810 Cookbook, which has played a significant part in this year’s BIM fundraising and mentioned the event in the letter then.
The grand BIM Mozart performance on the night of November 6 in the Black Isle Leisure Centre Hall will feature not just the Requiem but also the Ave Verum, the Overture to Il Seraglio and favourite arias from Mozart’s other operas.
There is a fine line-up of soloists, two of whom performed in the hugely-popular Messiah Project in 2009: renowned mezzo-soprano Alison Wells, and much-loved baritone Richard Morrison.
They are joined by young and talented soprano Joanna Weeks and the splendid tenor Jamie MacDougall, best known for his shows on BBC Scotland and as one of the Three Scottish Tenors. Both Jamie and Joanna are very much looking forward to joining the BIM team for this year’s workshops and performances.
Participants will be enjoying masterclasses with the soloists and instrument section leaders on Friday, November 4 before the weekend workshop kicks off on the Saturday.
On the Saturday night, participants and audience alike can relax and get into the mood for Mozart with a special screening of the cult Mozart biopic Amadeus at 7.30pm in Fortrose Community Theatre.
Tickets for Amadeus (Saturday, November 5) are available for £10 (concessions £8) and for the Mozart Requiem performance (Sunday, November 6) for £12 (concessions £10.50). They are available from the Black Isle Leisure Centre, Deans Road, Fortrose, IV10 8TJ (01381 621252) which is open daily from 10am, or from Off the Peg in Dingwall (cash or cheque accepted at both outlets).
BIM 2011 bookings for female voices have now closed, but the organising team is still taking bookings for male singers (or females willing to sing tenor – many did last time) and instrumentalists (who play clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone and timpani plus violin, viola, cello and double bass.
The additional Mozart repertoire means that flute, oboe and french horn players may now apply too and can choose to either to sit out and spectate or sing in the Requiem. Forms can be downloaded at www.blackislemessiah.co.uk or by calling 077789 22407.
"We think the choir alone will number over 150 this time, which will make an amazing sound," explained the event’s musical director Alasdair Nicolson. "However, we want to ensure that this is balanced with a good number of tenors and basses. To support this size of chorus we’re also going to need a good-sized orchestra – so I’m hoping that we will surpass the eight cellos and five bassoons who came along to join us last time."
The 1810 Cookbook is available by mail order from www.the1810cookbook.com or from selected local retailers, including Waterstones.
