Skye Chorus
In 2019 Gwen MacQuarrie and Jasmine Threlfall set about bringing a group of enthusiastic informal singers together in the south of Skye.
They invited (persuaded?) Tony Cleverton to lead them and create the South Skye Chorus.
Meanwhile Elaine Ferguson had set up Island Chorus in the north end of Skye
Then 2020 and 2021 arrived and the choir was forced to get together on-line only.
The two choirs then worked together and after two years of singing an assortment of classical and light music pieces in Christmas and Autumn concerts they started to work on the first epic concert - of Mozart’s Requiem at Easter 2024.
Under Tony’s leadership and Elaine’s support, South Skye Chorus became Skye Chorus and started to rehearse in north and south Skye venues coming together once a month for joint rehearsals.
Skye Chorus then performed Handel’s Messiah at Easter 2025, and Fauré’s Requiem at Easter 2026
The singers
As Duncan MacInnes as chairman infamously said in public after Handel’s Messiah “half the choir cannot read music and the other half cannot sing.” At the time the first part was true - the second part was libelous.
The point is that the Chorus includes anyone who wants to join in. There has been no entry voice test.
What is remarkable is that under Tony’s guidance, choir members find they have learned to read music. Tony has constantly stretched the choir’s abilities and has trained the voices so that everyone feels confident to undertake challenging works.
Tony Cleverton, Musical Director
Anthony studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, graduating with 1st Class Hons. He won several awards including the prestigious Frederic Cox Award for Singing, the Alexander Young Song Prize, the Robin Kay Memorial Prize for Opera Singing, and was a Major Scholarship recipient from the Peter Moores Foundation.
As a professional opera singer, he has worked as a baritone soloist extensively throughout the UK, Europe and Canada, including a many-year association with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
He came to Skye in 2018, teaching and leading musical endeavours and 2024 opened his own school in the area, Forte Academy of Music. He is the Musical Director for LMPA Academy of Performing Arts and Skye Chorus.
Our soloists
We have invited professional soloists and musicians to join us in each of the last three years. We are delighted to have welcomed Claire Wild, Soprano; Hannah Pedley, Alto; Paul Hopwood, Tenor; and James Cleverton, Baritone. All have trained with (or are related to!) Tony Cleverton.
In 2026 our own Peigi Ferguson (16) sang the Pie Jesu in the Fauré (just a few minutes after hearing she had got 91% in her viola aural exam!)
For Handel’s Messiah we had the added brilliance of Louis Barclay and Sjeord Tel on trumpet.
We were delighted that Robin Humphreys joined us in 2026 to accompany the entire concert of solo operatic piece and the Fauré.
Our Musicians
When we have need a chamber orchestra we are fortunate to have several semi-professional players in the area,
The Committee
Duncan MacInnes, Chairman ~ Asha Savage, Secretary ~ Temporarily vacant, Treasurer, Jasmine Threlfall ~ Gwen MacQuarrie ~ Iain Galbraith ~ Steven Proudfoot, Tony Cleverton, Musical Director ~ Elaine Ferguson, Assistant Musical Director
Skye Chorus is a voluntary association. At the AGM on 20 September it was agreed that the Committee should pursue registering as a SCIO.
Skye Chorus AGM 20 September 2026 Chairman’s Report
2026 has been another amazing year of growth and success for Skye Chorus.
In Saturday’s Herald Magazine was an article entitled “Thousands do it every week – but community choirs face a fight for survival. “ Collectively we are part of Scotland’s largest communal music movement. There is no list of those choirs, no umbrella organisation, but it is reckoned that in the winter months over 10,000 folk in Scotland are actiuvely singing. These choirs, like ours, are non-audition, and the ability to read music is not essential. Anyone can walk in and start singing – and they do, and should. Covid took its toll and many choirs disappeared. The major issue facing choirs now is the lack of male singers. The article stated that “it is a rare mixed voice choir that can field a gents’ section capable of holding its own against the serried ranks of sopranos and altos.”
But we are Skye Chorus
We survived Covid; we can read music far better now than when we started, and our tenor and bass section are holding up pretty well, against you, the serried ranks.
This was obvious to those of us who sang in the recent ‘Foray in Faure’ concert in Invernes where Skye Chorus Tenors pretty much held together the joint tenor section. That concert also brought home the brilliance of our own musical direction. For us, our abilities have stretched and developed well beyond what we thought we could deliver, and for that we must thanks Tony and Elaine.
We must thank all those on the Committee, especially Alison, Gwen and Jo who are stepping down, and the totally brilliant Asha. Thank you the cake makers and everyone who help set up our rehearsals and concert.
We are entering a new phase in our singing and administration – and it will be very exciting.
Long may we continue to sing.