The Kilmarnock Edition Feature Scottish and Irish Harmony

The Kilmarnock Edition began performing as a group over thirty years ago at Kaiapoi’s Balmoral Restaurant, where audiences enjoyed their musical vocal and instrumental style and the group’s popularity grew rapidly.

The Kilmarnock Edition was heard from Blenheim to Gore and always to enthusiastic audiences. The group made its television debut in 1986 when it was a semi-finalist in the nationally screened “Telequest ’86”.

A further highlight was to feature at the Wellington International Festival of The Arts in 1992. Playing to its largest live audience when the group sang “Flower of Scotland”, the Scottish national song, at Carisbrook prior to the All Blacks versus Scotland Rugby International in 1995.

The group continued to entertain at Celtic gatherings and featured at several Scottish Extravaganza Concerts and at Irish Showtime 2000. Many national and international conferences engaged the group to entertain their delegates and organisations requested annual performances.

The fourth recording was “From Distant Shores” after the third, “From Far Horizons”, was released on CD and cassette by Ode Records receiving a favourable review by the international magazine “Scottish Field” and a Five Star review from The Christchurch Press.

Featuring mainly Scottish and Irish songs, serious and amusing, with audience participation welcomed. Their harmonies and instrumentals are a feature of their performances. The band members perform in their kilts.

Julian Anderson
Julian joined the Kilmarnock Edition in 2014, and comes from a classical singing background of 15 years with first Canterbury and then Southern Opera Choruses. He is a graduate of NASDA (National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts). Introducing "The Gaelic" into the KE repertoire has been a delight and he is looking forward to many more years and concerts with them.

Murray Compton
Murray’s musical background began with classical piano training, encompassed piano accordion and brass band performance and choral singing with the Christchurch Leidertafel Choir. His musical talents are demonstrated in keyboards and piano and feature in the group’s vocal arrangements as a bass baritone.”

Dayle Hadlee
Dayle reveals a talent for guitar and mandolin artistry which would surprise many of his cricketing contemporaries. His musical involvement began with the Tarrega Four, a Christchurch folk group which won a major talent quest in 1968. The group featured Christopher Doig as tenor soloist. Dayle’s singing is featured in the group’s lighter humorous songs, and he adds a tenor harmony which is complementary to his instrumental skills.

Ross Blanks
Ross began performing in folk and pub venues at University and comes from a folk and country music background. In 1985 Ross and his partner won the Gospel duo section of the Canterbury Country Music Awards. He has recently dusted off his guitar and banjo and is thoroughly enjoying learning and making the music of his heritage with the K.E.

Erin Callanan
Erin comes from a strong musical background with her Irish & Scottish ancestry coursing through her veins! She sings for weddings and funerals and was the lead singer in Sound of Music, South Pacific and many others with the Queenstown Musical Society. She feels fully "alive” on the stage and loves nothing better than singing and acting.

Doors open 7.00pm.
Performance starts at 7.30pm, you will get a seat if you arrive close to 7pm.

Door sales cash only: Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break, also bar facilities for cold refreshments throughout the night, Eftpos available for purchases only, no cash-out facility. Folk Club and Irish Society members please remember to bring your current membership card as this is required for new club licensing. Non-members sign in at bar.