Scottish Catholic Observer

“I don’t perform for any other reason than to provide nice music for people, and I really enjoy what I do, so to be able to raise money for a charity like Mary’s Meals at the same time is great,” the tenor said. “Everybody wins.”

Mr Aelred, one of Scotland’s newest and most exciting musical talents, began his career as a singer after being identified by the music department at Edinburgh University as having a unique tenor voice. Since then has performed at some of the biggest venues across the country, and will perform for the Dalai Lama at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on June 22.

His mix of contemporary music and classical opera has made him a hit with audiences all over Scotland and he hopes to use his talent and appeal to continue to raise money for Mary’s Meals.

“I first became involved in charity work through Victor Spence at the Edinburgh Inter Faith Association, and started planning this current recital tour in January,” Mr Aelred told The Scottish Catholic Observer.

He soon put in motion a tour of Scotland, performing recitals, often in churches, throughout the country.

The audience tonight will be treated to renditions of classical works by Puccini and pieces made popular more recently by Andrea Boccelli as well as Mr Aelred’s own take on many more contemporary songs.

With supporters of Mary’s Meals joining music fans in the audiences of his concerts, Mr Aelred hopes to continue to raise funds for the crucial work carried out by  the charity’s school meals programme in some of the poorest and most desperate communities in the world. His recitals series continues with performances on June 15 in St Mary’s in Duntocher and on June 28 in St Pius X in Dundee.

—Tonight’s concerts starts at 7.30pm and donations to Mary’s Meals can be made upon arrival at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow.