The Road and the Miles to Dundee (Cappuccino Concert Today, Research Later)

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay

Today takes me to a Cappuccino Concert in the Wighton Heritage Centre at Dundee Central Library.

As Honorary Friends of Wighton Librarian, I like to show my face as often as I can, especially when the concert sounds exciting!

But I hope that whilst I’m there,  I’ll also be able to chat to friends about my new research project – Silver and Gold Leng Medal Memories. You may recall that I blogged about the project a couple of days ago.

My research is made possible with the support of an Athenaeum Award from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Already, several people have been in touch, and I’ll be responding next week.  I can’t wait to hear everyone’s stories, and it’s clear there are hundreds of people out there who participated in this competition!

Would you like to help me?  If so, I’d be very grateful if you could fill in a very short questionnaire, and I’ll get back in touch as soon as I can to arrange an interview with anyone who has a story to tell!

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SHORT QUESTIONNAIRE

Image by joesoap1952 from Pixabay

Silver and Gold: Leng Medal Memories

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay
A Silver Leng Medal for Scots song singing

Do you have schooldays memories of taking part in the Dundee-based Leng Medal Scots song singing competitions?  Perhaps you were a proud prize-winner of a Silver or Gold Leng Medal? 

Maybe you didn’t actually win, but the memories are still vivid? You might remember the song you chose, or which song book you sang from? Or you helped someone else polish up their performance?

Maybe you’ve never stopped singing Scottish songs?

Newspaper engraving of Sir John Leng (Illustrated London News, Saturday 10 June 1983)
Sir John Leng: Dundee benefactor

I’m on the staff of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as a postdoctoral research fellow, researching Scottish music.  Whilst investigating an old Scottish song book aimed at school pupils in the post-war era, I became fascinated by the initiative of Sir John Leng (1828-1906), who endowed the singing prize 125 years ago. He died 120 years ago, but his singing competition is still live and kicking all these years later.  Encouraging kids to sing Scottish songs was obviously a good thing!

Would you like to help me?  If so, I’d be very grateful if you could fill in a very short questionnaire, and I’ll get back in touch as soon as I can to arrange an interview with anyone who has a story to tell!

I decided to find out more, and I’m embarking on a project to talk to as many Leng medallists, entrants, teachers or adjudicators as possible.  The Sir John Leng Trust endorses this research, and is looking forward to hearing what I uncover. 

My research is made possible with the support of an Athenaeum Award from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SHORT QUESTIONNAIRE