In September 1988 Ian Anderson, then Principal Teacher of Music at Stanely Green High School in Paisley, was asked to form a choir to give a performance of Handel's Messiah as part of Greenlaw Church's centenary. Following the success of that venture, it was decided to constitute the Paisley Philharmonic Choir on a permanent basis in January 1989.

 

In 2009 the Choir marked its 20th Anniversary with a performance of the Messiah which also coincided with the Handel 250th Anniversary celebrations. Our 30th anniversary was celebrated by with a performance of Mozart's Requiem at Paisley Abbey in May 2019. This concert also marked the retirement of our Founding Director, Ian Anderson, who led us with such dedication and good humour over these first three decades.

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As of 2022 the Choir numbers approximately 50 members, of all ages from student to "more senior"! We are mainly from Renfrewshire, Glasgow and Inverclyde, but some of us come from further afield. We present around five concerts each year; recent performances have been held in Paisley (Methodist Central Hall, Paisley Abbey, Paisley Town Hall and St Mirin's Cathedral), Alloway, Bearsden, East Kilbride and Kirkintilloch. Our annual Christmas concert is especially popular, with plenty of audience participation!

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Many of our concerts are in aid of charity. Over the 30 years since the choir was founded we have raised almost £100,000 for a variety on charities including Cystic Fibrosis, the Yorkhill Scanner Appeal, Riding for the Disabled, Cancer Research, the British Diabetic Association, Multiple Sclerosis, Christian Aid, the Roy Castle Lung Foundation, St Vincent's Hospice Howwood, Ekwendeni Primary School in Malawi, and church organ and refurbishment funds.

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The Choir also undertakes several one-off projects. In autumn 2004, for example, we completed the recording of a Christmas CD in association with the Scottish Co-Op Band. In December 2009 the choir was invited to share a concert in Kelvingrove Art Gallery promoted by Smooth Radio. The Choir has also regularly sung in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh as part of the Sunday at Six series and featured regularly in the Paisley Choral Festival.

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The Choir has an extensive repertoire including carols, folk songs, spirituals, motets, madrigals, Scottish songs and choruses from opera, operetta and musicals. We also perform major classical works, engaging some of the best soloists in the country - both established singers and recent graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - often accompanied by a professional orchestra. Where possible, we also try to engage young people still at school or university to give them an opportunity to perform.

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Over the years the Choir has established a reputation as one of the finest and most versatile choirs in the West of Scotland - a reputation of which we are justly proud.