Are you up for a profoundly worthy cause?
Then read on. Last week a colossal project that has involved hundreds of figures on the Scottish music scene came to fruition with the launch of a new CD. The disc features three choirs, an orchestra, numerous conductors, at least one very well-kent face in musical Scotland and, in the front line, a treble voice that was once regarded as one of the most pure on the planet.
That voice belongs to Moray West, and the new CD – titled Scotland Boy, and available on the Scotdisc label – is an alluring, eclectic collection, from Purcell to Mozart, and all stylistic points in between, from Moray's days as a star treble, when, with some of his contemporaries, he was selected for a children's choral group named Angelis by that Simon Cowell man. Their album sold half a million copies (and they're still waiting for royalties, according to Moray's parents Stephen and Fiona West, both professional musicians: Stephen is former principal cor anglais in the RSNO, now teaching and coaching at the Royal Conservatoire, while Fiona is a member of the RSNO viola section).
The two of them have spent years (and a fortune) on this project, which is a spectacular showcase for Scotland's big-time talents, including the National Boys' Choir of Scotland with its charismatic guru Christopher Bell, Glasgow University Chapel Choir and its director James Grossmith, conductors David Danzmayr, Tim Dean and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, keyboardists Havilland Willshire, Julia Lynch and George McPhee, harpist Pippa Tunnell, cellist Alison McGillivray and tenor Jamie MacDougall, the voice and face of Radio 3 in Scotland, and a renowned presenter on Radio Scotland. They have all come together in this project, along with many others, including backroom figures such as Philip Hobbs, Linn Records' genius engineer and producer, all driven by the benignly ruthless persistence of Stephen West, one of the great charismatic figures on Scotland's music scene.
And the reason for the drive is the cause. Moray West is now 18 and a first-year student at Aberdeen University, studying music. One of Moray's young contemporaries, and a fellow singer in the National Boys' Choir of Scotland, was a lad called Ciaran Pryce, whose parents, Frances and Dave, are also both professional musicians working in Scotland. They both play in the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, where Frances is in the first violin section and Dave is in the horn section.
Ciaran had a terrible accident at school where, while playing rugby, he damaged his neck and was left extensively paralysed. A fund has been set up to raise practical and financial support for Ciaran. And anyone who has experience of raising monies to support and ease the experience of disability in their family (as I do myself) will appreciate the critical value of any such assistance.
So can we rally here? Can we make a small but vital contribution to this lad, who I do not know? The disc, hopefully, will sell widely (it is extremely eclectic) and raise a few quid. But is there more that could be done? Only we can answer that question. Many of the musicians involved in this great Scottish project waived their fees. Others, including Scottish Opera, took the fees then paid them into the fund set up to support Ciaran Pryce. We are a small and intimate country. Everybody knows everybody, or knows somebody who knows somebody.
The obvious thing to do is buy the disc. It's really lovely, and as well as the classics, there are some fine, pop-style numbers and arrangements. You can find it on Amazon, or buy it direct at www.scotdisc.co.uk.
On the other hand, if you are moved to make a direct contribution, you can contact the chairman of the appeal, Ivor Menzies, at jig.menzies@btopenworld.com or on 0141 641 3066. Donations should be made to "The Ciaran Pryce Appeal". What do you reckon we can do? I'll lead by example when I see Stephen West in the Royal Conservatoire today.
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