Debbie’s choir raises some la-ti-doh       

By Ione Campsie LESS THAN two years ago Debbie Kirkness was standing in her local hall wondering if anyone would turn up to the first ever session of her singing club for children. Now Debbie is the leader of a 56-strong choir that’s about to help raise some lah-ti-doh for our CHAS campaign with their very own Christmas single.

The Music Makers singers hope to be top of the pops in Aberdeen.

Written by Debbie especially for Aberdeen-based children’s choir Music Makers, the song Baby Boy marks a remarkable staging post in the fortunes of the club.  Just seven youngsters appeared on that day in February 2003 — and one of them was Debbie’s daughter Becky (10). But the numbers doubled the following week and now the choir is so popular there’s a waiting list. With a carol concert at Aberdeen’s Music Hall on December 8, as well as performances around the city’s shopping centres over the festive period, Debbie is amazed how quickly the choir is going up the scale. “I’d sung all my life and thought about doing something like this for a long time before I plucked up the courage,” she said.  “I was sure there were lots of children out there who, like me, just wanted to sing. “But it’s been incredible how things have mushroomed — I never dreamed things would take off like this.” For the first few months Debbie struggled by with backing tracks and a tambourine or two before she hooked up with pianist Sarah Littlejohn.  That really helped bring things together and by Christmas last year the group managed to put together a debut recording that pulled in £5000 for various charities. Now Debbie and the choir are hoping to repeat that trick with the children of CHAS set to benefit. “All the children in the choir are very conscious of the fact they are helping children less fortunate than themselves,” said Debbie. The CD, which is out tomorrow, also contains a version of John Lennon’s Happy Christmas (War Is Over) and a reading of the famous poem Heaven’s Special Child over the music to the Johnny Mathis hit When A Child Is Born. But the Music Makers efforts to help CHAS won’t stop there. “We’re planning a concert in Rachel House in June next year and that’s when we hope to hand over our cheque for CHAS,” said Debbie. The CD single Baby Boy will be available at outlets in Aberdeen, including ASDA in Dyce, as well as the CHAS website.

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