From Inverness to Ullapool: People’s Show Choir tour brings joy to the Scottish Highlands

May Bank Holidays are usually when people take the time off work to recharge and relax – not The People’s Show Choir, who, along with friends from The People’s Orchestra and The Rusty Player’s Orchestra, spent their Bank Holiday weekend going up to the Scottish Highlands on their 2025 Tour.

Their Scottish adventure started on Saturday 24^th to Tuesday 27^th May, with two coaches departing from Birmingham on a 447 mile long trip up to their destination in Inverness. It took a total of 10 hours driving (thankfully with a few pitstops along the way!) before they were greeted with a warm welcome by 80 members of TPSC Black Isle who were hosting for the duration of the tour.

The atmosphere on tour had been nothing but excitement and a happy time. Across Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, our 196 singers across 20 community choirs and 16 musicians from both England and Wales had been sightseeing to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, Knockan Crag Nature Reserve and had performed three terrific shows at Inverness Cathedral, Ullapool Harbour and the Ullapool Ferry Terminal.

The performances saw our ensembles perform the repertoire from our Back To The Movies concert including It’s Raining Men, All That Jazz (from Chicago), Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat (from Guys and Dolls) as well as TPSC favourites Like A Prayer (from Madonna) and From Now On (from The Greatest Showman). Over 200 tickets were sold at Inverness Cathedral; the turnout of which resulted in chairs being in short supply! It was noted by Chris Weber, Community Engagement Manager of The People’s Orchestra Charity, and many other singers and musicians that the acoustics and sound of the performance played within the Georgian period building was “amazing”.

It gave our members the chance to perform to new audiences as well as embrace the Scottish traditions such partaking in the Cèilidh (Cay-lee) with professional bagpipes and dancers.

Then on Tuesday, it was time to go on the long journey home. But everyone reflected on the experiences they shared together.

Leena from Halesowen choir said, “Thank you to all the amazing organisers of this tour, this has been my very first tour and it’s been a blast.. so proud to be part of such an amazing choir family!”

Sue Turner from West Bromwich choir said, “I can’t believe how quickly this weekend has gone. It’s been truly amazing. Thank you to everyone who has made this tour such a success. Our choir family is just the best. Bring on Poland 2026!”

Lee Bruce from native TPSC Black Isle commented, “My friend who sings with Dingwall choral and has done for decades said “We were flipping marvellous!”…. I am just so grateful for the easy inclusive nature of the choir”.

Ula Weber, our Choral Development Manager who leads TPSC Black Isle said, “What a spectacular choir tour we hosted! Thank you all so much for everything you did to make the whole tour such a success. A special thank you to our wonderful BISCettes [Black Isle Show Choir-ettes] and the other cooks, bakers, washer uppers, soup crisis management team etc…. Baz and I are so lucky to have found the Black Isle choir and you!”

Special thank you to the Inverness Common Good Fund and to the community of Inverness and Ullapool who gave us such a warm welcome, watched and supported our performance.