When you visit Glasgow you see the influence of Charles Rennie Mackintosh everywhere. He was a local architect, artist and designer, whose reputation was quick to spread way beyond his home city. He was born in Glasgow in 1868 and was apprenticed to an architect. As well as this he enrolled for evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art .
He went on to design the new home for the Glasgow School of Art which is an iconic example of his work. It was such a shock when in May this year the building was quite badly damaged in a fire.
My Mum has always loved his designs and has several pieces from mugs to pictures at home but I hadn’t realised he was so famous and was such an important figure in Scotland. We’ve visited the tea rooms he designed which are filled with examples of his work, a fabulous place with gorgeous food 🙂
The church that Les Sirenes female chamber choir from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will be performing in on Friday 12th December was also designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and is just a wonderful place to perform. The Mackintosh Church is a beautiful building which provides a fantastic backdrop for our Christmas concert.
I am so excited to be singing alongside my friends and fellow students in the choir, the Christmas concerts that our music director, Andrew Nunn, puts together are always so uplifting and full of fabulous music just right to put you in the Christmas spirit.
It’s been a sold out event for the past two years so if you’re in Glasgow and need a jump start to your Christmas we’d love to see you there next Friday. You can book tickets at the RCS box office.
Only ten minutes from Glasgow City Centre I’ve discovered the ‘House for an Art Lover’, in 1989 a team of architects led by Professor Andy MacMilan, then head of architecture at Glasgow School of Art, had the idea to build the house interpreting Mackintosh’s drawings from a competition entry Mackintosh made to a German magazine in the winter of 1901. House for an Art Lover is a charitable company whose primary purpose is the stimulation of public interest in Art, Design and Architecture.
The Music room, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife provided detailed interior designs for the double-height Entrance Hall, Dining room, Oval Room and Music room you can see below. There is a café, gallery and shop and it’s open all year around..
Congrats and good luck with your concert on Dec. 12th. Sorry I can’t be there. Would love to hear you and the choir. xo
Thanks Janice I’d love to meet you there too 😊
Best wishes
Charlotte
That ‘chamber choir’ looks quite big to me. I hope it goes well.
Hi Rod Chamber choirs are usually between 20 and 40 members I think and we have around 30 singers, as singers graduate and move on new recruits are auditioned. It’s hard work but very rewarding when it comes together.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Enjoy the evening! Your USA Friend. Cheryl
Will do Cheryl we had our last rehearsal Thursday and it was all coming together a treat.
Best wishes
Charlotte
The tea room! I sooo want to go back there for afternoon tea, did you have the full tea whilst there? Wish I could be there for the Christmas concert see you soon xxx
No sadly we just had a sandwich followed by scones, jam and cream they were delicious.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Sounds exciting…That is uplifting already. Have fun with your performing with your friends!
Will do, I love singing with the girls, we have a Pianist: Fionnuala Ward and Harpist: Charlotte Sager too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I love Mackintosh designs too! Good luck with your Christmas Concert.
I updated the photographs on the post when I discovered House for an Art Lover it will be high on my must visit list next time my parents are up here.
Best wishes
Charlotte
You look so cheery.
Cream tea, family, Dad paying what’s not to be cheery about 😀 lol.
Best wishes
Charlotte
The windows on the School of Art look very reflective. I like the color of the blue sky with the shade of brown on the architecture. All the photos are nice…have a good time at the Christmas concert. 🙂
Thanks Eric, it’s been great discovering all these interesting places to visit in Glasgow, you’d do the photography much more justice I’m sure.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Photograph cool architecture? I always sign-up for that. 🙂
Love the history you share here as I will most likely never get to visit. The arts building is lovely so hopefully it will be fully restored. How fun to be singing the Christmas concert, and I know I would most likely love all the songs you will be performing. Have a wonderful Christmas season. 🙂
Then I’m really happy I shared them Peabea isn’t that what’s just great about blogging seeing places and things you normally wouldn’t see. You have a great Christmas too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hey, really nice post and best wishes for your upcoming concert. 🙂 I wasn’t using WordPress much, so when I opened it, I decided to drop by your blog. 🙂
I feel following blogs from twitter is not that much fun. 😉 I hope to start writing soon. A really busy and wonderful year is in it’s last lap. Thanks for all the wonderful feedback. 🙂 😀
Hi Gaurab, I’ve missed your blog posts but I know you’ve been really busy this year. Twitters hard, it’s too easy to miss notifications and it’s really hard to keep track of people you want to keep in contact with. It’s like a scrolling message on your tv if you miss it, it’s gone. Hope you find some time for blogging again soon but I know what it’s like if you break the discipline so hard to get back into.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I hope it goes well (and wish so much that I could be there)!
I love Christmas concerts, the atmosphere, the people getting in the festive spirit. I’ve a concert the following night too just waiting for the organisers to send me a poster or link for my twitter. I must get around to recording some Christmas songs for my blog maybe next year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Sounds like a great concert ~ such a great time of year for you to be sharing your incredible voice with others too! Wish you well…
Thanks Randall, I agree. Wish you well too for Christmas and the New Year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Very nice, thanks Charlotte. Have a great week-end . All the best for you.
Merci, busy weekend, singing practise ✔️, blogging ✔️, listening ✔️ cleaning hmmm….❌, ironing hmmm…❌, shopping soon 😀party..later 😄 yay.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Wow, that’s some music room. Have a great concert, pity Glasgow’s so far away.
I’m going to keep putting all these lovely posts about things to do in Glasgow for a short break to temp a few of you to come up here 😀.
Best wishes
Charlotte
You sure do get to perform in some beautiful places!
I do indeed. I wish you were closer so you could get some fabulous photos.
Best wishes
Charlotte