Countdown to Scottish Highlands tour as cathedral concert tickets go on sale
Scotland is the focus of this year’s People’s Show Choir tour featuring historic castles and concerts at famous sites in the Highlands.
The Scottish Highlands Tour is taking place this May and has expanded to this time combine both The People’s Show Choir and The People’s Orchestra members. Two coaches full will head up the M6 to Inverness for four days from May 24.
It also means singers will get better acquainted with their colleagues at Black Isle Show Choir, based in remote Ferry Brae in the Scottish region of North Kessock.
Members from this Scottish group are even organising a cèilidh – a traditional Scotch dinner dance gathering with Gaelic folk music – so everyone can get to know each other better.
It comes after a successful Show Choir tour to Krakow in the Summer of 2024 you can read about here. Outdoor performances in Poland attracted crowds of as large as 600 people.
This time, members on tour will perform in and around Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. It includes a concert in the hallowed walls of Inverness Cathedral on Sunday, May 25 from 7.30pm to 9pm. Tickets have gone on sale for this charity gig to the public here.
After a long day travelling throughout Saturday, the 120 members will enjoy a tour of the atmospheric ruined Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness. The social and cultural trip takes place on Sunday morning, ahead of the cathedral concert in the evening.
Then on Monday May 26, everyone will head west to the scenic coastal town of Ullapool for another special performance for holidaymakers arriving on a cruise ship. Ullapool Harbour managers have arranged for the concert to be undercover at the site to entertain those arriving or leaving on boats, before treating members to food.
Chris Weber, organiser of the Highlands tour and conductor of several Show Choirs, said: “This Highlands Tour means we can link up with the Black Isle Show Choir in Scotland and make them feel part of the family.
“It’s a long journey up to Inverness as it takes 10 to 11 hours by coach to reach there from the Midlands. We’ll have a great time on the coach though as I’ll be doing a singalong, quizzes and games.”
“The way back will probably be quieter though,” chuckled Chris.
“There’s lots to look forward to and it’s going to be very different from the Krakow trip, especially as this includes members of the orchestra too, which provides its own challenges.
“We have to think about concert venues and chairs, things like if we are outdoors and it rains, that isn’t good for instruments. Both our concerts this time will be undercover, unlike in Poland, where we did pop-ups singing in the street, outside.
“Everyone involved is already practising 13 pieces of music, which include some back catalogue favourites.
“It will be especially good to link up with Black Isle Show Choir as they are a considerable distance from us. They are laying on the cèilidh, making the food for us and bringing in a cèilidh band, so that is going to be really good. Maybe we’ll come away knowing how to do Scottish dancing.”
Places are now full for members on the Highlands Tour but a 2026 tour abroad is already being planned and will be announced soon.
Tickets are on sale here for The People’s Orchestra Charity Concert at Inverness Cathedral in Andross Street, Inverness.
