14/04/2026
Some great info about our concert on Saturday!
CHORAL SPRING CONCERT
As Cupar Choral Society’s audiences know, April is the month for the Choral’s Spring Concert, their principal event in each year when more substantial works in the choral repertoire are showcased. This year is no exception and on 18th April, the concert will be in Cupar Corn Exchange, commencing at 7.30 pm. The programme for the evening is in two parts. Firstly, the choir will perform “Greater Love Hath No Man”, a short anthem by English composer, John Ireland, based on biblical texts and featuring two soloists from the choir. Ireland led a personally insecure life and through a period of over 50 years had a comparatively small output although this included songs, church music, chamber music, orchestral music, a piano concerto and a film score. The main work for this concert is Antonin Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” for choir, soloists and orchestra. The words for this piece are a narration of the grief of Mary, mother of Jesus, standing at the cross so it is fitting for this time of year. The soprano soloist for this performance is Lorna Murray, an award-winning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, who has performed leading roles in operetta, opera and oratorio around the UK and makes her debut appearance with the Choral. Alto soloist, Nicola Wemyss, is well known as a singer of power and quality who has sung for the Choral on several occasions and is widely admired for her concert and opera performances and recordings of Early Music. David Walsh, tenor, has performed with various prestigious ensembles including the Dunedin Consort, was previously a scholar with Voces8 and has performed internationally and in the UK. The bass soloist is Scottish baritone, Jonathan Kennedy, who, since graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2022, has performed extensively including with Scottish Opera. Dvorak was a prolific composer, instantly recognizable through his popular Symphony number 9, the “New World Symphony”, a recording of which was taken by Neil Armstrong to the moon in 1969. Stabat Mater is a work inspired by family bereavement and deeply religious faith expressing both sorrow and power and was the work which effectively introduced Dvorak to British audiences. The work is not without challenges but the Choral’s hard work under the masterly leadership of Musical Director, Peter Thomson, will no doubt render a concert of the Choral’s renowned high standard. Tickets are £15, free for under 16s, available on the door or by email to tickets@cuparchoral,org,uk. Card payments are acceptable.
