Festival Chorus begins rehearsals for Poulenc's Gloria

Rehearsals bagan on Monday for this year's performance, which will be in the Pickaquoy Centre on 20 June: Gloria, by Francis Poulenc , with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Martyn Brabbins. This will be the 31st appearance in the Festival by the Chorus, which has also presented a December charity concert some years. Usually there are about 130 singers in the Chorus, drawn from all parts of the Orkney mainland and linked islands (and occasionally one or 2 from the other islands).

Rehearsals are on Mondays at 7.30pm, at the King Street Halls, Kirkwall.

Are you singing in the Chorus this year? Why not let us know how it's going, by leaving a comment here, or on the St Magnus Festival friends Facebook wall? Alternatively, use the #stmagfest hash tag in twitter to update us with what is happening (but not when you should be looking at the conductor, or hitting that high/low note, please!!)

New Festival Manager appointed, as the Chorus starts rehearsals for the 31st time

Tanya McGill will be the new Festival Manager from July 2010, working alongside Festival Administrator, Angela Henderson, in the Festival's Kirkwall office. With Alasdair Nicolson, the newly appointed Artistic Director, the continuity of the Festival's staffing is assured, as Glenys Hughes steps down from her long-standing role after this year's Festival.

Tanya has worked as cultural co-ordinator manager for Orkney Islands Council since Janueary 2008, previous roles she has had include:

• Northern Ireland Development Manager for the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA)
• Development Manager and Lottery Director for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland

The other exciting development this week is the annual appeal for singers to take part in the Festival Chorus this year. The Chorus has performed in the festival on 30 previous occasions, as well as producing a December charity concert some years. This year's performance will be in the Pickaquoy Centre on 20 June: Gloria, by Francis Poulenc , with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

Usually there are about 130 singers in the Chorus, drawn from all parts of the Orkney mainland and linked islands (and occasionally one or 2 from the other islands). Rehearsals this year start at 7.30pm on Monday 15 February, at the King Street Halls, Kirkwall.