12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Linlithgow RFC Male Voice Choir visits Denmark for their first overseas tour post-Covid
Svendborg and Linlithgow are very similar in that they are both ancient market towns and jewels in the crowns of Funen and West Lothian respectively.
Linlithgow RFC Male Voice Choir visited Denmark over the early May holiday weekend and was delighted to be 'back on the road' for their first overseas tour post-Covid.
Bursting with pride in the club and the choir, the Touring Group of 30 choristers and 22 supporters visited the beautiful town of Svendborg to sing with the local Septimuskoret Choir in the Gold Hall of the town's splendid Bergerforemingen Theatre.
This was a return visit, following Septmuskoret's visit to Linlithgow in 2023.
Svendborg and Linlithgow are very similar in that they are both ancient market towns and jewels in the crowns of Funen and West Lothian respectively. The choir was welcomed to Svendborg on the Saturday morning by a local pipe band and a Civic Reception by the town's Mayor.
Choir member and ex Lord Provost Jim Carlin responded to the Mayor's welcome and presented him with a West Lothian plaque and the Meg Wallace print of St Michael's spire.
The Concert on the Sunday was a total sell-out and had been advertised as 'Where Scottish charm meets Danish choral tradition'.
The varied programme of modern, classical, popular and folk songs ensured that this was indeed the case! At the finale, when the joint choirs reached a crescendo at the end of 'You'll never walk alone', the audience response was appreciative, loud and emotional.
Both choir masters were effusive in praise of their singers and Linlithgow RFC's music director Jim McGuigan added: 'My view is that the hard work and preparation we put in prior to events such as this is with two primary objectives in mind: to ensure that choir members enjoy the experience of performing and that the audience is fully entertained by and enjoys the songs that we sing.'
Choir chairman Harry Lynch and his counterpart with Septimuskoret Peter Van Vindsoe agreed that the fantastic atmosphere generated during the farewell song 'Auld Lang Syne' reflected both the climax of an extremely successful concert and the strong bond of friendship between the two choirs.
The final day of the trip was spent sightseeing in 'Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen', which all tourers agreed was a superb end to a very successful and truly memorable visit.
