DCU Bring Christmas to Dunfermline High Street!
We felt a chill in the air as we stepped onto the High Street, which crackled with anticipation, and the smells and sounds of Christmas. Dunfermline was busy. The draw of celebration had brought people into town to support local businesses, to start their seasonal shopping, to feast on street food and to hear the joy of Christmas music.
Away in the distance we could hear the pipers piping and the drummers drumming. A large crowd had already gathered by the time we began. Beaming faces stared at us; excited to be opening their Christmas celebrations in song, or just curious to see what kind of racket we were intent on making!
As the opening bars to “The Music of Christmas” began, a nervous but thrilling shiver went through the choir. But those nerves soon melted away as we started to sing and the smiles on the faces of the crowd grew broader. Seeing DCUs patron, Frances McCafferty, cheering us on filled us with confidence. The joy was palpable, as we worked through the harmonies, bringing in familiar refrains alongside new twists on those classical hymns.
An old favourite followed with “O Come All Ye Faithful”. The tenors and bass singers gently enveloped us with the warmth of their tones, before the sopranos and altos joined, bringing a crescendo of sound (and some of the more challenging notes in our repertoire for the top sopranos).
By now everyone was engaged and the crowd grew as we followed along with “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, “The First Noel”, “Heavenly Peace” and a “A Celtic Silent Night”. The consistency of favourite lyrics, but with arrangements that would have been new for some, ensured that the pieces remained both traditional and fresh.
Suddenly the pace changed as we cantered into the opening bars of “Getting in the Mood (for Christmas)”, with its swinging tempo and jazz riffs. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” followed, whilst the crowd tapped their toes and moved to the rhythm.
As we stepped into our final salute, “White Christmas”, Mandy joined us to sing. The crowd took their cue, singing along and bringing the concert to a rousing end, with rapturous applause of course!
Well done everyone. As ever, the most enormous thanks to the organisers, our intrepid conductor Mandy and the effortlessly wonderful Yvonne on piano.
– Louise Humpington, Soprano
