Ian Osborne invites us to the Chansons Spring concert at St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull, Perth on Sunday 22 April at 7:30pm. This group of around 40 singers offers a mix of chamber music and choral singing featuring Samuel Wesley’s The Wilderness, Domenico Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater in C minor and Cecilia McDowall’s A Time for all Seasons. This last contemporary piece has “a feel of Gershwin”, and Carol will be singing the soprano solo! Details on the Chansons website.

Joy Campbell, our Chair, invites us to go back 200 years to 10 March 1818! It’s freezing cold, and in the grounds of Dunfermline Abbey workmen discover what could be the long lost grave of Robert the Bruce. To find out what happens next, come to Bones, Bogles, and Coronets, a new play by Diane Stewart, directed by Catherine Expósito, which will be premièred in the Abbey Church at 7.00pm on Saturday 10 March.

The play, which is part of the celebrations for the 200th Anniversary of the building of the Abbey Church of Dunfermline and the discovery of the remains of Robert the Bruce, includes a wide range of musical entertainment before the play itself, and a guest appearance by Barbara Dickson leading a chorus of “Scots wha hae”. Tickets are £15 (£10 concessions). Further details at this link.

With a season’s theme of … Variations on a Theme …, the Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society reaches Variation 4 and presents concerts at Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline on Friday 16 March at 7.00pm, and at the Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy on Sunday 18 March at 3.00pm.

The main work in the programme is the Trumpet Concerto by Bruce Fraser whose sudden death a year ago shocked the musical world. The soloists will be John Wallace, CBE, former Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Kate Cooper, a 4th year student at the RCS and a former pupil of Queen Anne High School.

Ellen Patrick says: “This should be an excellent concert – interesting and varied programme. The ballet music from Pineapple Poll contains tunes from many G&S operas. One of the composers, John Gourlay, played the oboe in The Mikado. There will be six or seven of The Mikado orchestra players performing.”  More information on the poster linked to the image.

Tickets £8 for adults and £4 for children on the door or via Glen Driver (07473 752369) for the Dunfermline concert. Tickets for the Kirkcaldy concert from Ellen Patrick.

Our friends in the Kirkcaldy G&S Society are performing The Pirates of Penzance at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, next week: Wednesday–Saturday 7–10 March at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinée at 2:30pm.

We know it will be good fun, and that we’ll recognise some well-kent characters who have graced our own productions, with Robin Ożóg playing Major-General Stanley (as well as directing the show), Nick Temperley as young Frederic, Dave Smith as Sergeant of Police, and some of our chorus members as pirates.

What’s not to like! Tickets are available from the KGASS ticket page or by contacting Elaine on 07949 381898.

Come and support the four players from our Mikado orchestra who will be performing in Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society’s Winter Concerts with the Langtoun Singers. Two performances on Sunday 17 December at 2.00pm and 4.00pm at The Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy.

The programme includes Fraser’s “The Snow Queen”, excerpts from “The Nutcracker” (Tchaikowsky), the “Dance of the Tumblers” (Rimsky-Korsakov), and Christmas carols. More information on the poster linked to the image.

“If you call for a song of the sea” and don’t want to wait for Alex to sing it at our show in February, you might enjoy the next EDGAS event. After an amazing sold-out finale of Oklahoma, they’ve already kicked off their cowboy boots and started rehearsing for their next big adventure, when they’ve been invited to sing alongside the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland at the Usher Hall on Wednesday 29 November. The programme will include traditional marches, well-known classical and Gilbert & Sullivan pieces, with solo performances by members of the Royal Marine Band. The concert begins at 7:30pm and prices start at £17: all proceeds go to Seafarers UK. Full details by clicking the image.

The Dunfermline Arts Guild 2017–18 series of chamber music concerts – “Music on Sundays” – takes a new twist on 10 December 2017, when the venue for the regular 7.30pm slot changes to the Tiffany Lounge at Carnegie Hall for a programme of French Cabaret Songs performed by Heidi Innes and David Vernon. Click the image to get a flavour of their 2016 Festival Fringe show.

Ask Jean Kennedy or Martin Tarr for a personal recommendation – you can’t beat live music, and it’s great value for £10! Details about the other Sunday evening concerts, which take place at Carnegie through to March, are in the linked brochure – there’s a wealth of musical talent, in a variety of ensembles and styles to suit everyone.