Kinloss Military Wives Choir to celebrate 10th birthday with concert in Edinburgh
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A LOCAL village-based singing group that performs on the national stage is celebrating its 10th anniversary next month.
Kinloss Military Wives Choir (KMWC), one of the first choirs of its kind to form, will join a network across the UK to celebrate a decade of supporting mental health and the wellbeing of females from the forces community via a ‘sing, share and support’ ethos.
KMWC lead, Lorna Alexander, confirmed the singers from Kinloss will be part of a joint performance of MWCs at an anniversary concert in the capital.
She added: “We are also having a choir birthday party with friends and family on November 2 when we will issue national anniversary badges. There will be a red carpet and awards night theme when our 29 members, musical director Brian Smith and invited guests present awards for fantastic effort in representing Kinloss and Moray.”
KMWC and other MWCs initially formed in 2012 to provide friendship, knowledge and support to the partners and families of service personnel deployed to Afghanistan. They were joined by Lossiemouth MWC and Inverness MWC in 2015.
The most northerly group in the UK united women associated with the Army and the RAF, following the closure of RAF Kinloss and the opening of Kinloss Army Barracks for 39 Engineer Regiment. After months of planning, KMWC enjoyed their first rehearsal on September 26, 2012.
KMWC now includes partners and veterans from all three armed forces.
Lorna said: “Our main purpose is supporting women through song as a way to relax and meet people.
“MWCs support families posted hundreds of miles from their established friends and extended families.We all need to feel part of something and know we are not alone. We are proud to have helped members through tough times, including lockdown, illness and bereavement.”
As well as Cumming Hall rehearsals every Wednesday at 7pm, the local ladies meet for social events and most recently had a sports day at Roseisle beach.
“Choir is not all serious,” said Lorna. “The choice of music is very varied, from Bob Dylan to Robbie Burns, with lots of well known pop songs as well as music written specifically for us. One of our recent movie songs was penned by Robbie Williams!”
KWMC appeared in the Military Wives Choir movie of 2019, starring Kirsten Scott-Thomas and have recorded on a total of three albums.
They have also: performed live in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and Holyrood; supported the Walking With The Wounded charity at Balmoral Castle and Glenfiddich Distillery; acted as backing singers for Caribbean cruises on the Anthem of the Seas ship; had a motion raised in the Houses of Parliament for their community work; and sang in hospitals, care homes, at award ceremonies and fundraisers.
As part of the MWC Foundation - with a network of over 70 choirs worldwide - KMWC are travelling to Edinburgh to perform as part of a 200-strong choir made up of members from throughout the UK and abroad. The 10th Anniversary Concert is at Greyfriars Kirk on Saturday, October 29 and will feature music from the movie, MWC albums and well known Scottish songs including ‘Caledonia’.
Tickets are available at https://greyfriarskirk.com/events/military-wives-choir-10th-anniversary-concert/
