Biography

Campbeltown Gaelic Choir was led by Calum MacCallum L.R.A.M., A.R.C.O. for twenty-eight years, who is perhaps the most famous of all conductors in the history of Gaelic choirs. Over a thirty year period he won the main prize twice with the Greenock Gaelic Choir and eleven times with the Campbeltown Gaelic Choir.

Calum was born in Greenock in 1902 and was brought up there. His family on his father's side came from Tarbert, Loch Fyne, where they were tailors. Although his grandfather was a policeman in Greenock, his father continued the family tradition and opened a tailor's shop in the town. His mother's family came from Tayvallich in Mid Argyll. Calum was raised in a Gaelic-speaking household, although he himself was not fully fluent. After leaving school, Calum worked in the Harland & Wolff office, a company famous for building ships.

In 1925, with the Mod coming to Greenock, he was asked to take over the Greenock Gaelic Choir. Under his direction, they won the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield twice. At that time, he also played the organ for St Michael Street Church in Greenock. Under his own initiative and on a part-time basis, Calum also pursued a formal music education. He earned the L.R.A.M. (Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music) and A.R.C.O. (Associate of the Royal College of Organists), and in 1933 began working as a music teacher at Campbeltown School.

During the 28 years that he led the Campbeltown Gaelic Choir, they won more prizes than any other choir at the National Mod. The choir was in a league of its own, especially in the mid-20th century. They won the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield eleven times, and this included a period of eight years when no mods were held due to the Second World War. Calum also played the organ and conducted the choir in the United Free Church of Kinloch.

He helped tutor many singers, including: Rose MacConnachie, who won the Gold Medal in 1946; Donald MacAlasdair, who won the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield in 1957 with the Greenock Gaelic Choir; Sheena Gillies who won the main prize with the Oban Choir in 1994; and Kenneth Thompson, who won the Gold Medal in 1979 and was very successful in leading the Glasgow Gaelic Choir. Calum's son Robert founded the Glasgow Hebridean Choir in 1968. They subsequently won the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield three times, in 1985, 1986, and 1992. Robert stepped down from the role in 2000 and the Glasgow Hebridean Choir disbanded shortly after.

Calum MacCallum died in 1961, aged 58. Campbeltown Gaelic Choir disbanded in 1988.