The Bearsden Choir sings ‘Elijah’
City Halls, Glasgow, 25/5/2025
Bearsden Choir, Musical Director, Andrew Nunn, Organ, Christopher Nickol
Soloists: Rowan Pierce, soprano, Beth Taylor, mezzo-soprano, Ryan Vaughan Davies, tenor, Michael Mofidian, baritone, Caitlyn Yule
A choir good enough for the Edinburgh Festival! That was my judgement after the excellent concert at the Glasgow City Halls by the Bearsden Choir on Sunday 25th of May. I have been attending the Edinburgh Festival for over 50 years and have heard the Edinburgh Festival Chorus on many occasions and all the other choirs in Edinburgh and I am sure that the Bearsden Choir is comparable to the best. They were aided here by a very fine conductor, Andrew Nunn, and by a great group of musicians, the ‘McOpera Ensemble’ from Scottish Opera musicians. Above all they had four excellent soloists who made this performance memorable.
Rowan Pierce is an excellent young soprano who is building an international reputation and sang her part as the widow very sweetly. She had the smallest part; I would have liked to have heard more. Beth Taylor, the Scottish mezzo, is well known to the Edinburgh Music Review, ever since we profiled her some years ago. Handled by her very astute agent, Helmut Fischer, she is now an international star singing all over the world. She sang Queen Jezebel and The Angel and showed off her fabulous mezzo voice with its range and depth. Again we would have liked more of Beth, but I believe Beth, who is arguably the finest opera singer at present in Scotland, will soon be an international superstar! Michael Mofidian who sang Elijah is classed as a baritone but has a voice that slides easily into bass territory and displays great colour and musicality. It’s no surprise that he also is a fast rising international star. Welsh tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies sung Obadiah and Ahab and displayed good technique and a sweet tenor voice; he is a young singer who I’m sure we will hear much more of in the future.
Several members of the Chorus also made striking solo contributions, including a very sweet strong performance from Caitlyn Yule as the Youth.
Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ is a very long work for the choir and for a very good audience in the splendid City Halls environment. I didn’t see many - if any - leaving before the end, and the work received a richly deserved rapturous reception at its conclusion. This was my first experience of the Bearsden Choir; I hope it won’t be my last. I also hope that Nicola Benedetti invites them to the Edinburgh Festival! One of the roles of the Festival is to showcase the best of music in Scotland and I have no doubt the Bearsden Choir are among Scotland’s best!
