Cleland’s Emma gets call up for Celtic Christmas song

The 10-year-old from Cleland was one of 16 students from the Glasgow-based UK Theatre School who successfully auditioned to become part of the children’s choir featuring on the club’s newly-released charity single – a reworded version of the festive song “We Three Kings” called “Star of Glasgow’s Green and White”.

Emma was kitted out in a Celtic strip as she and her fellow students sang under the direction of ‘choirmaster’, the team manager Neil Lennon.

The Celtic FC Choir also features members of the first team including Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie, Fraser Forster, Mikey Johnston and Jeremie Frimpong, plus the band Johnny Mac and the Faithful fresh from supporting Rod Stewart on tour over the summer.

The student group spent the day at Glasgow’s Mitchell Theatre filming their part in the video which is part of Celtic FC Foundation’s annual fundraising initiative this year which will help local families who are facing poverty at Christmas.

The appeal will also support a number of initiatives working with refugee families who have come to Scotland, as well as assisting groups including Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and Spirit Aid.

Emma described her Celtic video filming day as “amazing and so much fun” and added: “I loved the song we had to sing as part of the choir, and it was great performing it with all of the Celtic team.

“I was given a Celtic strip to wear for my performance and even got to take it home with me. I had a brilliant day.”

Emma’s mum Linda added: “I was super excited when I heard Emma was successful in her casting audition for the Celtic Christmas Advert.

“I was even more excited when I found out I could watch the advert being made and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Emma perform on stage with the Celtic players. Neil Lennon was a perfect conductor for the little choir members.

“The children were so well looked after, and were delighted taking home their shiny new Celtic strips. Neil Lennon and his team spent time signing autographs and getting photos with the children.

“I’m thrilled that UK Theatre School gave Emma this opportunity and I know she will have the memory of this day for the rest of her life.”

UK Theatre School, based in Glasgow’s West Regent Street, has more than 700 children enrolled in evening and weekend classes focused on the performing arts.

The school has its own in-house casting agency which coordinated the students’ involvement in Celtic’s charity advert project.

UKTS principal Lizanne Lambie Thomson said: “For Emma and our other students this was a great opportunity to be involved and see how a major full-scale music advert is produced. This invaluable experience helps them prepare if they want to pursue a career in the performing arts in the future.

“This past year has been one of our busiest ever for our castings agency and already there are students signed up for some big productions which will be hitting the screens in 2020.”

The Celtic FC Choir: Star Of Glasgow’s Green & White Charity CD which includes the bonus tracks “Let The Bells Ring Out In Paradise” and “Hail Hail (Christmas Edit)” is available costing £5 by visiting the official Celtic website.