ALASTAIR Mc QUOID
Alastair's love of music began at the Methodist College Belfast where he was taught violin. On leaving school, he joined a small orchestra, where one of the other members asked him to sing in Downe Operatic Society in a forthcoming performance of "The Mikado", (Chorus members where required). Alastair then developed a love for choral music and studied as a bass singer under James Shaw, a very well known performer at that time. Further training was undertaken at The Belfast School of Music, where Alastair passed his Grade 8 Theory examination of the Royal schools of Music. In 1980 an opportunity arose to conduct the Harlandic Male Voice Choir, which Alastair successfully directed for a period of 10 years, performing with the BBC - "Friday Night is Music Night", with John Anderson at Ulster TV, together with Harry Secombe, Moira Anderson, Joseph Locke and Stuart Burrows, to name a few. More recently Alastair has reverted to his first love i.e. the violin, and is honoured to have been appointed as conductor of the Queens Island Victoria Male Choir.