Overseas Tours

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The 42 singers who went on the Scandinavian Tour in 2002 not only sang in wonderful outdoor and indoor venues but had a great time in the theme parks and places of interest that Denmark, Sweden and Norway have to offer.

The singers also made friends with singers and musicians from the Hong Kong Children's Choir, Kokopelli Choir from Canada and the Living Percussion group from Mexico.

Jenny (then a 17 year old choir members) published an article in 2002 entitled 'Life with the Fair City Singers' which is reproduced here:
"The Fair City Singers: seven years, seven tours, millions of memories. From Chester at the age of 10 to Scandinavia at 17, life certainly hasn't been quiet! I've gone from one of the youngest, a child in all respects and in awe of the oldest, to being at the top of the choir, about to be dropped off the other end of the rocky conveyor belt that I was put on at the age of 7 when I joined the Fair City Junior Singers. I've moved forward in my experiences, singing and friendships, and only promotion to the back seat of the bus.
It all started in Chester. As a ten year old, experiencing for the first time singing in a massed choir, it was a fantastic event I will never forget. being away with the choir from such an early age has given me a confidence in myself that many other teenagers lack.
Only a year later, the choir was away again - to Prague, Budapest and Salzburg. From the ghost tour around the forbidding city of Prague at night, to singing in the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg; from learning to play the spoons at our hotel near Salzburg, to singing at the opening of Tesco in Budapest, we discovered other countries, languages and cultures. A similar tour was undertaken the next year, when, after enjoying a short time in Austria so much, we returned, and also visited Perth's twin town of Aschaffenburg.
In 1999 the choir went to Canterbury International Choral Festival. After leaving Perth Academy at around 5 a.m. we travelled all day, and after being held up in London, we performed for the other choirs before we even had tea. That was a very tiring start to what was going to be a fantastic discovery of music, friendship and unity. We joined together with choirs from all over the world, resulting in tearful goodbyes when we left!
This partly resulted in the choir's travelling to Canada and America in 2000, to stay with the Ohio Boy Choir and the Chautauqua Children's Choir, whom we had met in Canterbury, as well as taking part in the Niagara International Festival. This provided more opportunities, more friendships and more fun. In between all this we even managed to make it to the Millenium Dome, to sing in the new millenium.
Now in 2002 we have just returned from my seventh and final trip with the choir. Through all the fun and chaos, we have held strongly together as a choir, showing our love of singing around the world. Tours have left me with many pen-pals and memories, many of which are too special and incredible even to try and explain. Mr and Mrs Neilson have given 40 - 50 teenagers and children every tour unforgettable memories, and I thank them with complete respect for all the wonderful work they have done for the Fair City Singers. Without them, neither I nor any of the other children who have been away with the Fair City Singers, would never have the memories that they treasure. Thank you."

The 49 singers who went on the Canada and USA tour in 2000 had a great time staying with North American families and seeing all the sights.

In return boys from the Ohio Boychoir stayed with Fair City Singers' families in June 2001when they came to Scotland.


During their time in Perthshire the Boychoir performed at Caputh Church Hall and St John's Kirk in Perth.

Back in 1998 the Fair City Singers toured Germany and Austria.

Hazel (then a 14 year old choir member) published an account of the 1998 Germany and Austria tour which is reproduced here:
"Our bus left the Perth Academy gates at 8.45am on the Friday after a rousing rendition of the ‘Skye Boat Song’ and we travelled down to Dover to board our ferry, the Pride of Dover. We left the ship at Calais in the early hours of the morning and slept much of the remainder of the journey. Lunchtime that day saw us to the Youth Hostel in Wurtzburg where we spent the next two nights. During those days we performed concerts in Wurtzburg, at the pleasant Augustinerkirche, which had heavenly acoustics, and in Aschaffenburg, where we were warmly received by the twinning committee who fed us and gave us an interesting tour of the older parts of the city. Certain choir members, who were singing Perth’s praises to a pleasant, casually dressed German man, discovered that they were talking to the Mayor of Aschaffenburg. Mr Neilson also did the same, much to our amusement. Monday saw us to Austria and after the six hour bus journey the pool at our hotel in Huttau, near Salzburg seemed gloriously inviting. The next day, duly refreshed, we visited some magnificent (and well enjoyed) Salt Mines, which also boasted the added fun of long slides, a mini-train ride and a boat trip across an underground brine lake. We also went souvenir shopping at Konigsee. That evening we sang a concert in Germany and were well rewarded by a large audience. Wednesday was our busiest day. We went to the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, where parts of the film, ‘The Sound of Music’, were filmed. We shopped and some of the choir who had not been on the tour last year, visited Mozart’s Birthplace and had a trip on a funicular railway. At Four in the afternoon we gave a concert back at the Mirabell Gardens. That evening, we saw the well performed Sound of Music Show, that Salzburg had to offer. Thursday was a rest, with no concerts to perform. We went for a walk along a very spectacular gorge, with paths tunnelled through rock in some places. The afternoon’s events were no less spectacular, for we went on a cable car up to some famous ice caves. They were very grand and the views from the cable car were lovely too. We all came away feeling a slight awe at what nature can create. That evening we were entertained at a folk show and everyone enjoyed themselves very much. Friday was our last day in Austria and we visited Hellbrunn Castle with it’s splendid water gardens. Few of us escaped without a wetting, but the sun was warm and we soon dried off. We also did last minute shopping. That evening we had a wonderful concert at Burg Kaprun, near Zell am See. We all enjoyed singing there and there was a wonderful sense of unity within the choir. We also enjoyed the kind hospitality we were given. Saturday and Sunday were spent travelling home and we arrived back safely to Perth Academy at 1.15, just in time for lunch! I’m sure that everyone who went on the tour would like to thank all those involved in organising the wonderful and well-enjoyed trip and most of all, to thank Mr and Mrs Neilson who made it all possible".

(These articles by Jenny and Hazel are reprinted with permission from Issues 51 and 35 of Sounds Alive, the magazine of Music Makers in Perth and District, available from Perth Theatre, Perthshire Tourist Board and local music shop Concorde Music in Scott Street, Perth.)