AYR CHORAL UNION

LOOKING FORWARD TO ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

Gill Sherry

At first, I think my eyes are deceiving me. But no, it’s definitely the German national flag. Just days after Scotland’s 5-1 defeat to Germany in the Euros, I’m a little taken aback.

“I am German,” Axel Winkler confirms on our Zoom call, “but I’ve been in Scotland coming up to 30 years. The kids are all Scottish.”

At this point he tilts the screen to reveal the Saltire hanging in his window, and I hear a sigh of relief from both his fellow choir member, Kevin Watt, and the choir’s Musical Director, Andy McTaggart.

Axel begins by telling me how and when he came to join Ayr Choral Union.

“I became involved well over 25 years ago, by a chance encounter. Someone told me there was a choir singing Bach St John Passion. Because I’m from Leipzig, which is Bach city, my ears pricked up and I joined the choir. They were doing it in German so I felt immediately I could help a little.”

Referring to himself as “a relative newcomer”, Kevin has been with the choir for eight years.

“I had one season with the previous conductor and then Andy came into our lives as part of Ayr Choral.”

Andy studied singing at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before joining Scottish Opera as a young artist.

“I was doing that full-time, but eight years ago I decided that the touring life wasn’t for me and decided to settle down. Ayr Choral Union were looking for an Assistant Conductor so I had a year assisting the previous conductor and when he moved on I stepped up. I’m a singer and a singing teacher as well.”

The choir was established in 1876 and has a membership that currently stands at 95.

“Over the years the membership has grown,” Axel tells me. “The musical profile has really risen under Andy’s leadership. Being a fantastic singer, he has taught the choir a lot in terms of singing, technique and delivery. I think that has attracted quite a lot of people. The quality of the concerts has really come to a very high level over the last few years.”

The choir performs three main concerts each year: one in October, one Christmas Concert with Newmilns and Galston Brass Band, and one in March, all held at Ayr Town Hall. The choir also meets every Tuesday evening at Castlehill Parish Church in Ayr at 7.30pm from October through to the end of March. In addition, optional concerts are performed during the summer months along with some extra seasonal performances.

“Those optional concerts are becoming part of the fabric of the choir,” says Axel. “It’s quite enjoyable to go to a different place. It’s become a tradition to go to Belleisle Conservatory to sing Christmas carols. Also, last year we went to Culzean and spent a whole day singing carols. We’re quite keen to have these projects and to reach out into the community and move away from our usual spot.”

The word “community” crops up again when I ask Andy about the choir’s 150th anniversary in 2026.
“Plans are already beginning to tick along,” he confirms. “We can mark that with the community and with other community groups. In the UK there are not many choirs that have that kind of history. We’re trying to find a way to celebrate that with the whole Ayrshire community.”

It’s an exciting prospect for everyone involved with the choir and I can sense that the trio in front of me are already looking forward to the celebrations. But their enthusiasm isn’t just reserved for special occasions, as Kevin confirms:

“I see it as an incredible privilege that you get to sing pieces of music that composers have poured their heart and their life and their emotions and energy into. As an amateur singer, to get an opportunity to sing these songs is really a privilege beyond measure. Also, the choir is a safe space to escape from the world. You literally cannot think about anything else but the music that’s in front of you. You can’t worry about your day, your family, all the stuff that’s happening in the world. You can almost take the world off at the door, hang it up, and in you come. You have this experience with like-minded people. It’s an enormous privilege and a real diamond of happiness in my life.”

It’s such an emotional declaration that I almost forget the Bundesflagge sitting beside Axel. His mention of inclusivity is a timely one.

“We are a very inclusive choir. We really do welcome anybody to join in terms of musical ability. And we would never like anyone not joining us because of financial constraints, so things are negotiable.”

Although a membership fee is payable, this equates to the price of a coffee each week. When it comes to financing the musical life of the choir and securing its longevity, it relies heavily on ticket sales for its concerts and, of course, the volunteers who give their time.

“We’re very happy to have a highly trained professional like Andy,” says Axel, “but everything else is run by volunteers. There are a lot of thing to be thought about in preparation for the concerts and we’re extremely grateful to the huge number of people who have put time and effort into keeping the choir running. But it’s also very rewarding to take on those roles because there is nothing like that feeling after you deliver a brilliant concert and the audience is genuinely enjoying it.”

“That relationship with the choir is incredibly special,” adds Andy. “When they come together to achieve something, it’s amazing. I also love the feeling when we go into the Town Hall on a concert day and the audience is there. There’s that sense of silence and anticipation just before the concert and the choir are about to do their thing. But we also get to share that feeling. We get to stand on stage, shoulder to shoulder, surrounded by musicians. I always think that’s a great moment.”

If you’re interested in joining Ayr Choral Union, there is an open rehearsal on Tuesday 20th August at 7.30pm at Castlehill Parish Church.

“New members are welcome to come along and meet the choir and have a free rehearsal to see what we’re all about,” Andy says. “It’s a chance to try out the choir. And people don’t need to sign up for the whole year… there are options.”

Axel adds: “A lot of people have a very strong feeling of belonging in this choir which goes beyond the music… we are very welcoming and friendly. So don’t be shy!”

As our conversation comes to end, I’m not shy in wishing all three choir members good luck for their teams in the Euros. And I can’t help wondering which of the flags, if any, will still be flying, and who will be singing the loudest, by the time this article goes to print.

You can contact Ayr Choral Union via the website at www.ayrchoralunion.net