By Bernie Bell

Normally, at this time of year ( how often is that being said?), Mike and I go to at least two music events in St. Magnus Cathedral – the ‘Lucy’ Service https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/12/03/its-chriiiistmaaaaaas/  and the Nine Lessons & Carols. We bellow along merrily, but, it’s not just the services themselves, it’s the going into Kirkwall, seeing the street lights and the shops with Christmas displays – all gives us a bit of a lift, in the darker days.

This year it’s not just darker days, but also darker times that we’re all having to contend with.

We were sorry to be missing our annual experience of St. Magnus Christmas cheer. Then friend Angela sent us a C.D. It’s called ‘Together for Christmas’ and is a collaboration between the Orkney Camerata, Winter Choir, Nø Boys, and, from Malawi, the Likhubula Children’s Choir.

To quote the insert with the C.D. ….

”The C.D. has been compiled as if it were a concert programme, featuring music that an audience might except to hear at one of our Christmas concerts………

The Christmas Concert has traditionally supported Malawi Music Fund, the Orkney charity that uses music and the arts to enable orphaned children in Malawi to transform their lives.”

I put the C.D. on, sat back and listened, and, yes, it is the nearest I’ll get to a St. Magnus Christmas music event this year.

It has classic Christmas songs and music – ‘Gaudete! Christus est natus’ – ‘In Dulce Jubilo’ – ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’.  And, less well known, but very much in keeping with the theme and feel of the ‘concert’ – ‘My Lord. what a morning’ – and ‘Mulungu Alinane’ (Malawi traditional).

The Malawi Music fund will continue, through hard times and good, to raise funds and awareness for children in Malawi, and, if you’d like to help them, and give yourself a ‘virtual’ St. Magnus Christmas concert, the C.D. is available from….

Light in Darkness – it’s what’s needed at this time of year.