A Helensburgh choir will be celebrating their diamond jubilee and honouring their late music director with a special concert next month.

Helensburgh Oratorio Choir will hold their anniversary show on Sunday, December 3 in Helensburgh Parish Church at 7.30pm.

The programme for the evening is Handel’s ‘Messiah’, performed by Jamie MacDougall and conducted by music director Susannah Wapshott.

The concert will also be held in memory of the choir’s longtime music director Walter Blair, who passed away in February 2023.

A representative said: “The concert is in memory of the late Walter Blair who was music director of the choir for many years.

“In celebration of the evening, Jamie MacDougall is reprising his role in the ‘Messiah’ which he first sang with Walter on November 27, 1987.”

The orchestra consists of Section Principals from Scottish Opera and students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is led by Katie Hull.

Barbara Cole Walton (soprano), Jane Monari (alto), Jamie MacDougall (tenor) and Jonathon Forbes Kennedy (bass) will be singing.

A number of sponsored tickets will be distributed through local support networks.

There will be a retiring collection in aid of Marie Curie.

Standard tickets are £15 while student tickets are £7.50.

Spaces can be booked in person via the church office, by contacting choir members or online on the group’s website: www.helensburghoratorio.co.uk.