HELENSBURGH'S busy musical landscape will have a new feature from next week in the form of the town's newly-formed Rock Choir.

The latest addition to the local singing scene is part of the UK-wide Rock Choir movement, which already has some 20,000 members, and more than 60 choir leaders, across the country.

Singing everything from rock and pop classics such as Living On A Prayer and Somebody To Love to contemporary chart hits, the Helensburgh choir kicks off with a free taster session at the Victoria Halls on Tuesday, January 17 from 8pm until 9.30pm.

The choir is one of four new groups being set up by vocal coach Charlene Gordon from Paisley, who told the Advertiser: “I am absolutely delighted to be bringing Rock Choir to Helensburgh and really looking forward to meeting new people in the community.

"My friend Elaine Williamson started a Rock Choir group in Glasgow city centre, and she's always said she thought being a choir leader would be perfect for me.

“I've always liked Helensburgh. I could see the town from across the water while I was a student in Greenock and through friends' recommendations I thought it would be a great place to start a Rock Choir.”

Singers in the nationwide Rock Choir movement have performed on BBC TV's The One Show and live on radio with Chris Moyles, and at venues such as Wembley Stadium and the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The Rock Choir movement owes its presence in the UK to musical director Caroline Redman Lusher, who chooses and trains all the new choir leaders, selects the songs, and arranges all the parts, so that members can train to the same standard and work towards performing together at those famous venues.

“Caroline started a choir in her local high school,” Charlene continued, “and soon noticed people were performing better in their other school subjects as a result of being in a community choir.

“There are around 23 Rock Choir classes running across Scotland now, and because Caroline arranges all the parts, no matter what choir you're going to, you'll be singing from the same hymn sheet.”

Aiming to combine fun, friendship and community spirit, the Rock Choir movement helps improve its members' self-confidence, develop new singing skills and enjoy a dynamic new social life, as well as providing the sense of fulfilment that comes with singing together and performing in public.

Charlene's other new groups are located in Greenock, Paisley and Hamilton, though there are already four established choirs in the greater Glasgow area – in the city centre, in the West End, in Knightswood and in Giffnock – and others in Kirkintilloch, Newton Mearns, Milngavie and Largs, to name a few.

A weekly fee is payable for those who decide to become members of their local group, but the introductory taster session on January 17 is completely free.

You can book a place at next week's taster session, and find out more information about times and venue details for Rock Choir classes all over the country, at www.rockchoir.com.