Rehearsals and repertoire

Rosenethe meets weekly on Wednesdays (7.30pm-9.30pm) in Dunblane Cathedral Halls between the first week of September and late May, with a break during school holidays in October, Christmas and Easter.

Our repertoire includes some of the great works of choral music: Bach's St Matthew's Passion; Handel’s Israel in Egypt; Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius; Mozart’s Requiem; Duruflé’s Requiem. A recent concert celebrated the music of Venice, with the choir dividing into multiple sub-choirs and many parts to sing motets by Monteverdi, Gabrieli, Cavalli and Lotti. We also sing contemporary music. In 2003 we performed the Scottish premiere of Andrew Carter's Musick's Jubilee, and in November 2004 the choir was among the first to perform ‘The Kestrel Road’, a commission by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies to mark his 70th birthday. For further details see Past Concerts.

We regularly perform with the Scottish Bach Players, the Scottish Brass Consort, and the pianist Peter Alexander. Other performances are unaccompanied. Regular venues are Dunblane Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling with occasional concerts in a variety of smaller venues, including Innerpeffray Library in Perthshire and the Tolbooth, Stirling.
	Rosenethe Singers and the Scottish Bach Players in Dunblane Cathedral

Social life

Refreshments after the rehearsal are regularly enjoyed in Dunblane's Tappit Hen. There is usually a gathering after a major concert, open to singers and friends alike.

	On our spring outings - to places like Mount Stewart, St Monans or Linlithgow Palace - we often surprise the locals with an impromptu concert.
Rosenethe Singers at Linlithgow Palace

From Friday 21 September to Sunday 23 September we will be going to stay for the weekend at Carberry Tower, near Musselburgh, to sing and socialise. We will start practising the Messiah for our December concert, tackle some music we wouldn't otherwise have time to try, and also sing some more light-hearted repertoire for a mini-concert on the Saturday evening.

Origins

The Rosenethe Singers were first formed in 1964 when a group of singers was brought together for a local seminar, to help prepare new choral conductors for schools. Some of our members are still professionally involved in music, mainly in teaching. The founder conductor of the choir was the late George McVicar, until recently our Life President, and the choir was later conducted by George Farmer, George Stewart and George Wilson.  Our recent 40th birthday party song commemorates our conductors (as well as some present members).