Charity Christmas concert returns

An annual fundraising concert, led by the musical director of a Glasgow church, returned to a sold-out Royal Concert Hall before Christmas.

The ‘Sing Christmas’ concert was given by over 180 choristers and musicians of the Springfield Cambridge Festival Chorus and Orchestra, led by Alan A Craig, the Musical Director at Springfield Cambridge Church in Bishopbriggs on December 21. This year’s event raised over £30,000 for children’s hospice charity CHAS, and brings the total raised over 20 years to more than £436,000.

Alan founded the Springfield Cambridge Festival Chorus and Orchestra in 2002, and from the outset attracted the support of Bishopbriggs Churches Together, comprising 10 churches covering various denominations.

Alan is Curriculum Manager in Music at Glasgow Clyde College and a freelance musician and composer. The unauditioned chorus has members ranging from age 18 to 95 and includes professional artists, seasoned choristers and absolute beginners. The orchestra features both full-time players who regularly work with top ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the cream of amateur players from local performance groups. A Junior Chorus completes the line-up and several young people have eventually joined the main chorus after performing with this younger group.

The mechanics of the organisation, from financial management to ticket sales, are undertaken by volunteers almost entirely drawn from the Praise Team of Springfield Cambridge.

This year’s concert, the first without restrictions since 2019, played to a full house of 2000 people. While the total raised had not been finalised at the time of writing, the total stood at £31,645.