I begin by congratulating Annabel Goldie.

In fact, I might go as far as to say that I did not disagree with a word that she said.

This may be the only time for a number of years that I can make that statement and I am only sorry that I am no more competent to sing it than she suggests that she may be.

As Annabel Goldie indicated, the organisers—first Voices in Paisley and then the dedicated group that has been set up to run the choral festival—deserve congratulations and praise from all of us for their vision and ambition.

It is now clear that after only one year, and on the threshold of a second festival, the festival will grow into a regular event not only in the town’s calendar but across Scotland.

Astonishingly, it is the only choral festival in Scotland and it is well on its way to becoming an event of national cultural significance.

In some ways it is terribly surprising that that should happen in just two short years.

I recall a particularly wet Monday evening last November, when some of the diligent organisers whom Annabel Goldie mentioned came to see me saying, “Tell me what local businesses you think might be best for us to look to for sponsorship.”

I was impressed then, as I have been for the rest of the year, with their tenacity and willingness to cast the net widely in seeking to support Scotland’s cultural life.

We in the chamber sometimes rather lightly pronounce on the need for local leadership; in this case, we have seen such leadership in action.

We should acknowledge that, in only the festival’s second year, public agencies have stepped in to make it happen.

EventScotland, which the Executive set up a number of years ago, has used its regional budget to support the festival and the University of Paisley, Reid Kerr College, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire and Making Music, the voluntary organisation for choral societies, have all done their bit.

Now that the festival is established, I hope that a number of us can do our bit to attract the local business sponsorship that will be so important in the years ahead.

As for the festival itself, I have a story similar to Annabel Goldie’s to relate about the experience of hearing music.

About a year ago, I attended a concert of the Paisley philharmonic choir in Paisley Town Hall.

On that Sunday evening in early summer, an event that I had gone to with a sinking heart, fearing that it would be another duty and wondering why I had accepted an engagement on a Sunday evening, turned out to be a complete pleasure.

Since that time, I have learned a lot more about the choral tradition in Renfrewshire over many years.

I want to share with the minister and the chamber the way in which the festival—which, as I have said, is only in its second year—is attracting not only local choirs but choirs of national importance.

This year, it is to be graced by the London community gospel choir.

I must own up and say that I have heard the choir sing before; that was in the London Jazz Café on a Christmas eve more than a decade ago.

I expect the choir to be every bit as impressive in Paisley Town Hall in a couple of weeks’ time.

Looking through the festival’s imaginative programme, I think that, in a week in which people’s thoughts have inevitably turned so often to Louisiana and the southern states of America, the very presence of the Aberdeen chorus of Sweet Adelines International, who sing in a barber-shop style, will remind festival goers of music’s place in bridging international divides and helping people through the ages to overcome pain and loss. Perhaps that is why the choral tradition is so important.

I should also bring to the chamber’s attention the other highlights of the festival.

An a cappella choir will sing from the works of Scotland’s foremost contemporary composer, James MacMillan.

Of course, as Annabel Goldie has pointed out, the backbone of the festival is the local choral tradition of the Ralston singers, the Barrhead philharmonic choir, the Paisley philharmonic choir, the Thomas Coates memorial society and many other groups.

Sometimes in the chamber there has been a bit of controversy about support for professional singers in Scotland.

I think that, whatever stance we might have taken on that issue, we can unite in the fact that it becomes all the more important to support our outstanding amateur singers.

After all, they are amateur only in the sense that they are unpaid; they are professional in every other aspect, especially in their love of music, their respect for the choral tradition and, frankly, the pleasure that they bring to the rest of us.

I urge everyone, particularly west of Scotland MSPs, to consider joining us at one of the festival events.

The festival lasts for two weeks from Friday 30 September, which, as more observant members will have noticed, means that its second week coincides with the first week of our recess.

It is all the more reason why we should look forward to seeing some members there. I begin by congratulating Annabel Goldie.

In fact, I might go as far as to say that I did not disagree with a word that she said.

This may be the only time for a number of years that I can make that statement and I am only sorry that I am no more competent to sing it than she suggests that she may be.

As Annabel Goldie indicated, the organisers-first Voices in Paisley and then the dedicated group that has been set up to run the choral festival-deserve congratulations and praise from all of us for their vision and ambition.

It is now clear that after only one year, and on the threshold of a second festival, the festival will grow into a regular event not only in the town’s calendar but across Scotland.

Astonishingly, it is the only choral festival in Scotland and it is well on its way to becoming an event of national cultural significance.

In some ways it is terribly surprising that that should happen in just two short years.

I recall a particularly wet Monday evening last November, when some of the diligent organisers whom Annabel Goldie mentioned came to see me saying, “Tell me what local businesses you think might be best for us to look to for sponsorship.”

I was impressed then, as I have been for the rest of the year, with their tenacity and willingness to cast the net widely in seeking to support Scotland’s cultural life.

We in the chamber sometimes rather lightly pronounce on the need for local leadership; in this case, we have seen such leadership in action.

We should acknowledge that, in only the festival’s second year, public agencies have stepped in to make it happen.

EventScotland, which the Executive set up a number of years ago, has used its regional budget to support the festival and the University of Paisley, Reid Kerr College, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire and Making Music, the voluntary organisation for choral societies, have all done their bit.

Now that the festival is established, I hope that a number of us can do our bit to attract the local business sponsorship that will be so important in the years ahead.

As for the festival itself, I have a story similar to Annabel Goldie’s to relate about the experience of hearing music.

About a year ago, I attended a concert of the Paisley philharmonic choir in Paisley Town Hall.

On that Sunday evening in early summer, an event that I had gone to with a sinking heart, fearing that it would be another duty and wondering why I had accepted an engagement on a Sunday evening, turned out to be a complete pleasure.

Since that time, I have learned a lot more about the choral tradition in Renfrewshire over many years.

I want to share with the minister and the chamber the way in which the festival-which, as I have said, is only in its second year-is attracting not only local choirs but choirs of national importance.

This year, it is to be graced by the London community gospel choir.

I must own up and say that I have heard the choir sing before; that was in the London Jazz Café on a Christmas eve more than a decade ago.

I expect the choir to be every bit as impressive in Paisley Town Hall in a couple of weeks’ time.

Looking through the festival’s imaginative programme, I think that, in a week in which people’s thoughts have inevitably turned so often to Louisiana and the southern states of America, the very presence of the Aberdeen chorus of Sweet Adelines International, who sing in a barber-shop style, will remind festival goers of music’s place in bridging international divides and helping people through the ages to overcome pain and loss. Perhaps that is why the choral tradition is so important.

I should also bring to the chamber’s attention the other highlights of the festival.

An a cappella choir will sing from the works of Scotland’s foremost contemporary composer, James MacMillan.

Of course, as Annabel Goldie has pointed out, the backbone of the festival is the local choral tradition of the Ralston singers, the Barrhead philharmonic choir, the Paisley philharmonic choir, the Thomas Coates memorial society and many other groups.

Sometimes in the chamber there has been a bit of controversy about support for professional singers in Scotland.

I think that, whatever stance we might have taken on that issue, we can unite in the fact that it becomes all the more important to support our outstanding amateur singers.

After all, they are amateur only in the sense that they are unpaid; they are professional in every other aspect, especially in their love of music, their respect for the choral tradition and, frankly, the pleasure that they bring to the rest of us.

I urge everyone, particularly west of Scotland MSPs, to consider joining us at one of the festival events.

The festival lasts for two weeks from Friday 30 September, which, as more observant members will have noticed, means that its second week coincides with the first week of our recess.

It is all the more reason why we should look forward to seeing some members there.

Link : Paisley Festival