IMCA Midsummer Charity Ball 2009

The 2009 IMCA midsummer charity ball, in aid of the Apostleship of the Sea, took place on Friday 12 June at Banchory Lodge Hotel, beautifully located alongside the river Dee in Kincardineshire, UK. A piper welcomed the almost 200 guests as they arrived for a drinks reception which spread from the hotel, where a pianist and harpist played in the two halls, across the grounds to the marquee, where an impressive steel band comprising students from Bankhead Academy performed.

Hugh Williams, IMCA Chief Executive, formally welcomed guests to the ball before Richard Haggarty, Chaplain for the East of Scotland for the Apostleship, said grace and dinner began. Just before dessert, the main entertainment of the evening began, provided by Stringfever, a male string quartet using electric instruments which gave a performance reinterpreting classic and contemporary melodies from Vivaldi through The Sound of Music to Led Zeppelin. They romped through a 'History of Music' in five minutes, teasing ballgoers to 'name that film soundtrack', providing a unique and comical rendition of Ravel's Bolero that attracted audience participation and even demonstrated an impressive human beatbox!

This year a game of 'Fishing and Shooting' was played, referring to the sports enjoyed in the area surrounding the hotel, led by Hugh Williams and Sheila Bailey of the Apostleship. The charity coffers were swelled further by a casino organised by Ellon & District Round Table.

IMCA President Johan Rasmussen of Acergy spoke after coffee, thanking Knut Boe for his two-year term as President and reflecting on the achievements of IMCA during his tenure and since. The Simon Howie Dance Band then got the party going with a selection of Scottish folk tunes, aided by 'callers' to aid those new to such dancing and more modern music.

While the evening could have drawn to a close with delegates already enjoying a great night out, more was still to come, with a further medley performance from Stringfever followed by a grand entrance by the Turriff & District Pipe Band and a series of famous tunes. Finally, a unique and climactic collaboration between the two saw a high octane performance of beloved popular Scottish music from the traditional 'Flower of Scotland' to The Proclaimers' '500 Miles'.