THE Variations Choral Group started with a simple yet successful concept 25 years ago to sing anything from Bach to The Beatles.

So after hundreds of successful concerts in the town spanning quarter of a century, it was very much the end of an era when they announced recently they are calling time.

When Variations formed back in 1994, there were only church choirs, and Largs Gaelic Choir, so it filled a unique niche.

Nowadays the area has The Upbeats, Largs Community Choir, and Largs Rock Choir, to name but a few.

The Variations spring and Christmas concerts were avidly looked forward to by the Largs public with big performances in church halls, Barrfields Theatre and local nursing homes.

The loss of the group to the local area will be keenly felt by its members and fans who always thought it hit struck the perfect chord.

Secretary Catherine McMorran explained how falling numbers had brought about the difficult decision to wind up.

He said: "The decision to bring Variations to an end had been on the cards for a while as membership numbers had been steadily going down. "There were several factors including being unable to recruit new members and the existing choir members and our regular audiences both getting older.

"We felt it was the right time to finish things at Christmas, on a high with a feel good factor after a great concert."

Variations was started by Joseph and Anna Adamson after an inaugural meeting at Warren Park Nursing Home. Anna Adamson was the accompanist and Elizabeth Edwards was conductor while the treasurer was Tim Edwards.

Catherine said: "It was agreed at the start that we would be called Variations as it would be a variety of all kinds of music, from Bach to The Beatles. A few years later we became Variations Largs Choral Group."

Under Millport's Rhona Gourlay as conductor, Variations reached its maximum membership of 50 and had a long waiting list to join.

Rehearsals first took place in Largs Academy.

Over the years a number of soloists joined them for their big concerts, including soprano Helen Lothian, Dennis Haggerty, Ailie Austin, Ruth Hutchinson and Largs Academy teacher Kayla McGregor.

The choir performed with the Largs Academy swing band while brass bands were also introduced for the big Christmas concerts.

Three members have been in Variations since it started, Margaret Martin, soprano, Catherine McMorran, second soprano and Dorothy Houghton, alto singer.

The late Lady Avril Watson was honorary president and was a great supporter of the choir.

Catherine said: "She came to every concert and always gave a hugely entertaining vote of thanks at the end with gifts for the conductor, accompanist and president. She was a true supporter of the choir until she sadly passed away."

Concert venues were also varied including Inverclyde Sports Centre, St Columba's Episcopal Church Hall, Dunn Memorial Hall and St Columba's Parish Church. The last two end of year concerts took place at Clark Memorial Church Hall.

Other big highlights over the years included taking part in the Millennium concert in 2000 alongside Largs Amateur Operatic Society, Largs Cronies, Largs Gaelic Choir, Largs Academy and local primary schools.

Catherine added: "Twenty five years is a long time and we have so many happy memories. Within the choir itself we formed lifelong friendships.

"It was a terrific thing to be a part of and Largs is now very much on a positive footing with many singing groups including The Upbeats, Largs Community Choir and Largs Rock Choir. "I'd like to think we have played our part in that."

The list of conductors over the years were as follows: Elizabeth Edwards 94-95, Gordon Jack 19 95-96 (Postgraduate student from Royal Academy) - lovely baritone and went to London, Gordon Mabbott 96-2000 Jenny Hamson 2000-01 (Postgraduate at Royal Conservatoire conservatoire studying conducting) Rhona Gourlay 2001-14, Alejandro De Palma Garrido 2015-17 Louise Devine first soprano in the choir.

The accompanists were: 1994 Anna Adamson,1996 Gordon Stevenston, 1998 Amy McMillan/Anna Adamson, 1999 Marion Napier, 2001-2015 Judith McNaught, 2015-2019 Dawn McCarron.