Almost 200 artists will be involved in the performance of Poulenc’s Glora and Bruckner’s Mass in D Minor, conducted by Michael Bawtree, at Usher Hall.
The Edinburgh Royal Choral Union and the Brussels Choral Society will be joined by the Scottish Opera orchestra and Sòlas Ensemble, a young vocal quartet formed at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Sòlas Ensemble will perform the solo roles.
The concert will take place at Usher Hall on 15 March 2026.
Michael Bawtree, longstanding conductor of Edinburgh Royal Choral Union, said: “After a wonderful weekend in Belgium in December, where we were warmly welcome by our friends in Brussels Choral Society, we are delighted to welcome them back to Scotland’s capital and the country’s finest concert hall for this exciting springtime concert. I look forward to conducting these two incredible choral masterpieces with singers from over 20 countries, alongside four of Scotland’s brightest young soloists and the instrumentalists of Scotland’s national opera company.”
Founded in 1858, Edinburgh Royal Choral Union has played a central role in Scotland’s musical life for over a century and a half. The choir is best known for its annual New Year performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Usher Hall, a tradition established in 1888 and continued without interruption, even through two World Wars, alongside an ambitious programme of large-scale choral works and international collaborations.
This concert marks a major cultural exchange between Scotland and Belgium, celebrating the unifying power of choral music and the shared traditions that transcend national borders. The collaboration with the Brussels Choral Society brings together singers from two countries in a performance of exceptional scale, ambition and artistic impact, highlighting the enduring vitality of amateur choral music at the highest level.
Tickets are on sale here, ranging from £17 to £42, with £5 concessions for students and under-16s.
