Following a three day recording session in the Quoyloo Church, Sandwick, in the autumn of last year, the Mayfield Singers are now ready to launch their recording of songs set to poems by Robert Burns, and what better way to celebrate this unique achievement than by holding a traditional Burns Supper on Burns Night.

Surprisingly, it seems that no-one has ever produced a CD of unaccompanied choral settings of Burns, and so the CD should be of interest to an audience far wider afield than Orkney, but it is hoped that as many local people as possible will turn out for the haggis, the speeches, and to hear some of the songs from the CD at the St Magnus Centre on Friday 25th January.

The CD itself is based around the traditional structure of a Burns Supper, with the Immortal Memory, followed by the Toast to the Lasses, the Lasses’ Reply and ending with Auld Lang Syne, and the choir will sing songs from each section alongside the toasts throughout the evening.

There is a great line up of speakers for the Supper – Aly Bruce and Kristin Linklater will recite Burns poems, whilst Jim Wallace, Liam MacArthur and Rosie Wallace will give and respond to the various toasts. It should be a fantastic evening.

Neil Price, Director of the Mayfield Singers commented, “The whole process of creating the CD has been a great experience, and to be able to launch the end result of all our efforts amongst friends at such a gathering will be a real joy for the choir”.

He continued, “We very much hope that the CD will have a wide appeal across Scotland and beyond, as well as in Orkney. Major composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Percy Grainger, Sir Michael Tippett and James MacMillan are represented. Recent arrangements by John Kitchen and John McIntosh are included, but there are also new settings of Burns written especially for the recording by George McPhee and Stephen Wilkinson, as well as by choir members Peter Stephenson and David Toms”.

The CD will be launched at the Burns Night Supper hosted by the Mayfield Singers on Friday 25th January at the St Magnus Centre. Tickets for the supper are available from Orcadia Chartered Accountants, 3 East Road, Kirkwall (Tel: 872804), price £15 or from any member of the choir. The CD will be available at Grooves and other retail outlets following the launch.