A TRIO of singers have struck the right chord to gain places in prestigious national choirs.

First year Notre Dame pupils Niamh McLean and Sophie Bysouth have been accepted into the National Girls Training Choir.

Meanwhile, Euan McDonald, 13, is starting his third year in the Boys National Youth Choir of Scotland in the Changed Voices section.

The dedicated group will spend a week of their Easter break at a residential course in Edinburgh which will be divided into rehearsals and musicianship games and is followed by a concert at the end.

Sophie said: “I feel quite excited.

“It’s quite a prestigious choir —we had to audition to get a place.” Niamh added: “We had to sing a piece, then do some singing exercises.” Euan is a stage further on than the girls and has a passion for performing.

He said: “It’s really good.

“You learn lots of new pieces you’ve never heard before and some that are really popular as well.

“Singing is my dream — I would like to be a professional singer.

“Classical pieces are my favourite.” The school’s principal teacher of music, Gerard Gordon, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity.

“This is Euan’s third year singing with the National Boys Choir and it is the first time for the girls.

“It’s really exciting, they are so young to be recognised at this national level.

“They will spend a week of their holidays away so it’s a big step for them.

“Everyone comes back raving about the course, the singing and all the friends they’ve made.” This is the latest high note for the school, which celebrated plenty of success at Inverclyde Music Festival this year.

Gerard said: “Notre Dame School Junior Choir scored 92/91, which is an unprecedented score in the festival, and we won the Cuthbert Forster Memorial Trophy for the best overall work for a school group.”