Every October, we in St Andrews have welcomed singers from around the world to our historic town. They have performed for audiences and worked with our local communities, and in doing so have brought smiles to all of our faces.

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There has been a haunting caesura (musical term: total quiet, but not for long) across the country. We haven't been able to sing together in our community choirs, in places of worship, at school, or on stage. The world has been silenced. But not for long.

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Six months ago, we were planning our regular festival, hoping that by now we would find some normality. PASSION. 

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Three months ago, we sadly weren't able to launch as usual. With restrictions changing every day we were on plan z. DETERMINATION.

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Just one month ago, as our colleagues south of the border were putting on concerts for live audiences, we aspired to follow suit. HOPE.

 

Now, here we are. Our festival is two weeks away. Music is filling the halls and walls of St Andrews once more. Determined to fulfil out duty to contribute, we will welcome artists to St Andrews to perform for you. Albeit, virtually. 

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We acknowledge the global pandemic, and our responsibility to take care of our musical family around us, Singing is part of St Andrews’ DNA. Today, we have more activity here than such luminaries as Thomas Wode, or even Cedric Thorpe Davie, could ever have imagined. It remains central, whether ‘town’ or ‘gown’, so where better for a festival celebrating the voice in all its guises? 

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That is why we will present "St Andrews Voices: Distant Voices" on World Singing Day, Saturday 17th October 2020.