Dr James MacMillan – Bearsden Choir’s Honorary President

It was a proud day for Bearsden Choir when Dr James MacMillan agreed to be our Honorary President. Some of us had been long familiar with his choral works having sung his Catherine’s Lullabies and – even more memorably – his stunning Cantos Sagrados under Jim Hunter; indeed we remember with pleasure Dr MacMillan’s appearance at St Aloysius Church during a rehearsal of the former work and will never forget his encouragement to the choir as we tackled this unfamiliar music; he behaved as though we were doing him a favour when in fact the opposite was the case. As we celebrate the first forty years of the choir’s existence we look forward eagerly to a future in which our music making is in some small way related to the heart of musical creativity in Scotland through our association with the internationally respected composer. We shall undoubtedly be performing more of his music – and it will be with a new sense of commitment and responsibility that we do so.