Newsletter Issue 23 - June 2016 by Fantastic Media

to uphold and continually renew a proud tradition of choral singing

Newsletter Issue 23 SPRING 2016

Welcome

to the spring 2016 edition of the HCS Newsletter.

HARROGATE

– The trials, tribulations and

Choral Society concerts are always a pleasure. The thrill of singing and making music with colleagues in the choir, a professional orchestra and soloists is a great experience. We also know that our loyal audience really appreciate hearing performances of some great works from the choral repertoire. For reasons totally removed from music, the Committee (particularly the senior officers), will have heaved a huge sigh of relief that our spring concert in Harrogate is now in the past. The planning and subsequent changes of venue, soloists and even, late in the day, repertoire, were a huge challenge. The problems started when Kirklees informed us last summer that we would not be able to use the Town Hall for our concert, scheduled for 8th April (this just after our annual ballot where we had completed the sale and allocation of all our season tickets). Finding another hall proved very difficult, indeed impossible on the appointed date. We had to agree a new date when the orchestra and conductor were available and then start the search for a hall all over again. Eventually we found the Royal Hall, Harrogate to be available and happy to take our concert. There followed logistical difficulties in arranging to get choir and audience to Harrogate; these were not major problems but still required considerable amounts of work. However, when the BBC informed us just a few weeks before the performance that the platform at the hall was not large enough to take the orchestra required for the Elgar’s The Music Makers, we plunged into crisis mode again. Having discounted telling some choir members that they would not be allowed to sing, or informing some subscribers that they would have to move to the far corners of the hall in order to extend the platform, the only alternative was to change the concert programme.

DAVE WARD

eventual triumph.

Orchestral Rehearsal in the Royal Hall Harrogate

With only a few weeks rehersal time remaining before the concert date the replacement piece had to be well known to the majority of the choir and we therefore chose to repeat the Mozart Requiem which was featured in the spring 2015 concert but which remains hugely popular with singers and audience alike. The concert also included a contemporary piece, James MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross. Personally I found this piece to be a wonderfully moving work, very atmospheric and obviously written by a person of profound Christian faith. So eventually the concert proceeded successfully and all the travail of the preceding months was worthwhile. We would like to thank all those subscribers who supported the Society by attending the concert in Harrogate and would hope that all our season ticket holders will renew for next season when we have a superb series of concerts for you: a classical feast in October with music by Handel, Mozart and Beethoven, followed in the spring by a rousing concert of British music which will conclude with a performance of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, our first concert airing of this wonderful work since 1997. The closure of the Town Hall continues through the summer and affects the Subscribers’ Ballot for next season and the Annual General Meeting. Please refer to the ‘In the Loop’ section of this newsletter for revised details of these events. STEPHEN BROOK Editor.

Strategy Matters This is the fourth in a series of articles on the Society’s strategy in which John Harman gives his personal take on what it is all about. “To uphold and continually

renew a proud tradition of choral singing”

It’s now three years since the Society adopted its strategy following the work of the review group in 2012/3. As we head towards the AGM and the end of the current Committee’s term of office, it seems a good time to take stock of what has been achieved – and of what remains to address. One of the features of this period has been the decision to set up a small monitoring group, whose only function is to assess progress against the strategy every six months or so. I must confess to having had doubts about whether this was necessary – after all, why should the Committee not be able to review its own progress? Wasn’t this just an extra bit of bureaucracy? I was wrong (and to rub it in, I got the job of chairing the group). The Committee has to handle so much day-to-day business that it rarely has time to stop and take an overview; whereas the monitoring panel has ensured that the Committee has a plan for implementation, that the strategic objectives of the Society are embedded into the various workstreams, and that we are realistic about the resources required for success. Sitting, like Jiminy Cricket*, on the Committee’s shoulder, prompting it to remember this or that strategy objective, has not always been comfortable, but it has been effective. The panel’s assessment on progress to date with the strategy is this – good start, but much more to do. We report in considerable detail, which, dear reader, I will spare you; but here is the outline of where things stand. In fact, let me start with a direct quote from our reporting ...

It has been a period of intense activity, particularly in development of a linked music/financial plan and there is a distinct sense of forward momentum. This has communicated itself not only to the choir but to …. professionals outside the Society … to the Society’s benefit. Those elements of the strategy relating to Music Direction, performance and repertoire have seen the most progress; our forward programme, the plans for recording, and bringing into the rehearsal schedule a range of choral trainers with different vocal and performance strengths are cases in point. Much now depends on the appointment of Choral Director which is due to be made soon. Almost every area of the strategy will be affected by this; recruitment, programming,

audience development, sponsorship are all examples. The right appointment will give forward momentum to the whole of the strategy and will impact on the Society at all levels – Youth Choirs as well. But there are other strategic aims which await development. One of them is what we have loosely termed “Outreach”, though what it really means is that the Society needs to be well networked into the whole of the music life of its area. There have been other more pressing priorities, and it’s not as if the Society was somehow detached from the world, but it has to overcome a perception that it is rather elitist. This is definitely something that we need to turn to in the next period. I used the phrase “audience development” earlier, which is a bit of a mouthful and is one of those generalities designed to cover several concerns at one go. The Society’s subscriber base is one of its key strengths, and growing that base while looking after existing subscribers is a priority of the strategy. There is more we can do here. But our audience is national as well, and we reach that audience through broadcast, internet and recording, all areas where we need to keep up with a rapidly changing world. We have hardly begun to tackle this. The strategy is indeed a tall order. We have set our hand to aims which require effort applied over a wide set of objectives over many years. The real message of the monitoring group is that the difficulty of what we have set our sights on is only now becoming fully apparent – and apparent because the Society is seriously addressing the challenges that it has set itself. And although we are brilliantly served by volunteers who commit huge amounts of time, energy and care to the Society, volunteer effort can only go so far; the central challenge for the Society as we head into the next period is to make sure that we can generate the resources needed to meet our ambitions. And that means investment. The current Committee and its officers have put the Society in a stronger financial position, and we now have some paid administrative help, albeit parttime; the Funding Review Group is working to generate new income streams; but everyone connected with the Society has a part to play as well. Like any business, if we want to earn more, and do more, we have to invest more. We have raised the stakes by setting ourselves high ambitions; but what other choice do we have? This is not just any Choral Society, this is the Choral. John Harman April 2016 *Apologies to younger readers who may possibly not be au fait with the 1940’s Disney oeuvre. P.S. The 2013 strategy is a long-term vision, but one of its recommendations was a review after 5 years. So in two years time, as the next committee cycle draws to a close, we will be once more be asking ourselves some fundamental questions about our aims and how we pursue them. Our challenge over the next two years is to show that the Society has the courage of its convictions and can set its sights high.

Saturday 6 April 1991 Blest Pair of Sirens - Parry Hymn of Jesus - Holst Belshazzar’s Feast - Walton Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Nicholas Cleobury - Conductor David Thomas - Baritone Adrian Smith reporting for the Huddersfield Examiner stated......... There can be no finer Chorus Trainer than Brian Kay. What a magnificent instrument he has fashioned! Most striking is the sustained quality of its technical mastery. Whatever the musical context may be, the sound is always superbly focused, opulent and unforced. Notable too are its rhythmic flexibility, razor sharp attack and perfect balance. Holst’s Hymn of Jesus was delivered with all the rapt intensity that the composer envisaged. The central Heavenly Spheres section positively blazed with vitality and colour; the expert Semi Chorus floated a lovely tone as they wove their Amens in and out of the text. Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast received a performance electrifying in its power and tonal splendour. We had singing of the utmost ferocity, but also, where required, of much tenderness too.

Well, there are two works that do the job very nicely, but to add a third, Holst’s notoriously difficult Hymn of Jesus was to over egg an already rich pudding. The thought was not dispelled by the brave, but fitful, account of the piece. Its episodic structure is hard enough to knit in the first place without being undermined by imprecisions from the orchestra and chorus. Admittedly Nicholas Cleobury was not helped by a high absentee rate, which left the divided choruses dangerously exposed. But nor were they helped by his allowing the RLPO constantly to overwhelm them. The imbalance of choral and orchestral forces which had surfaced in a lusty, dramatically, well-conceived account of the Parry, intensified in the Walton, where the composer’s demand for extra brass did not go unheeded. At what point Walton intended his potentially rowdy oratorio to become a racket is hard to say, but if ever there was a case of enthusiasm triumphing over discretion, this was surely it. WERE THEY AT THE SAME CONCERT? Ed.

SELWYN GREEN

DO YOU REMEMBER ...-25 ?

Photographs from ‘tutti rehearsal’

Membership News

foundation onto which those that are able to join us for only a few years can add their valuable contributions.

New Members We welcome the following new members into the Society: Naomi Longhurst – 1st Soprano, Gemma Collins – 1st Soprano, Ciara Perrott – 1st Soprano, Stephanie McKervill – 2nd Alto, Billy Kyle – 1st Bass, and Daniel Hegarty – 1st Bass.

In January two Sopranos received long service badges. Jill Benn was presented with her badge to mark 25 years of membership. Members also had the chance to congratulate Charmaine Beaumont who has been a singing member for 50 years. This great achievement was recognised when she was presented with a silver salver and flowers by HCS President, Jane Sargent. Charmaine is well known to many in the local musical world for her solo singing, Gilbert & Sullivan, Light Opera and for devoting time to the Mrs. Sunderland Musical Festival. We are delighted that she is continuing to sing with the choir.

We wish them all great success and enjoyment with the Society and hope that their stay with us will be a long and happy one. Sad Farewells Three Associate Members have sadly passed away since the previous edition of this newsletter. Bryan Hirst, a long standing member of the Bass section, who also worked with the Youth Choir in an administrative role, died in January. June Craven passed away in March and just a few weeks ago we learned of the death of Margaret Hardcastle. Margaret sang Contralto in the choir and served on the Committee for many years. She had a great knowledge of the choral repertoire and contributed notes on the works to be performed for the concert programme. She was also a great help to many younger members who benefitted from her encouragement and wise words. Through our Welfare Secretary, Jean Parker, acknowledgements were sent to their families. Long Service The Society is deeply grateful to all those members who give of their talents over such long periods of time. They provide a firm

DAVE WARD

Robert Cockroft - in the Yorkshire Post - wrote.... The purpose of the programme was clear enough: to illustrate the development in British Choral Music from the Victorian complacency of Parry’s Blest Pair of Sirens to Walton’s mould breaking Belshazzar’s Feast.

Charmaine receiving her award

Committee Every two years the entire Committee retires and there is an election at the Annual General meeting. There will be an opportunity for anyone wishing to get involved in the administration of the Society to put themselves forward for a Committee position. Details of nomination procedures will be sent out by the General Secretary with the notice of meeting. We look forward to working with a strong and dedicated Committee in order that we may continue in our quest to uphold and continually renew a proud tradition of choral singing; together with our aim to remain in the top rank of British choirs.

Autumn 2016 Subscription Concert The Society is delighted to have an early opportunity to welcome Aleksandar Markovic, the new Music Director of Opera North, to conduct the first concert of the 181st season. Mr Markovicćtakes up his appointment in Leeds in September 2016, following successful positions as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra (2009-2015), and Chief Conductor of the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck (2005-2008). Born in Belgrade, he studied conducting in Vienna and attended masterclasses in Siena, where he was awarded a Diploma d’Onore. He gained a scholarship from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation Berlin, and won First Prize at the International Conducting Competition in Katowice, Poland. The Royal Northern Sinfonia joins us on 21 October for this varied programme of beautiful and sparkling classics by Handel, Mozart and Beethoven – three pieces each composed for a specific liturgical occasion. The King Shall Rejoice is the third of Handel’s Coronation Anthems written for the coronation of George ll in 1727 in Westminster Abbey. Handel rejected the texts sent to him by the bishops, retorting that, “I have read my Bible very well, and shall chuse for myself”. This anthem sets verses from Psalm 21 in four sections, ending with a magnificent double fugal Alleluia intended for the actual moment of crowning. The Choral recorded all four Coronation Anthems in 1977 with the (then) Northern Sinfonia of England, conducted by the Society’s music director at the time, John Pritchard. They were performed a few months later in Huddersfield with the same orchestra conducted by Christopher Seaman as part of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore was composed in 1780 for liturgical use in Salzburg Cathedral, where his father Leopold was in charge of the music. The title “de confessore” was not Mozart’s own, and was added by a later hand to the manuscript (which was lost or destroyed during the Second World War). It suggests that the work was intended for First Vespers held on the eve of an important saint’s day – possibly St Rupert or St Virgil, both co-patrons of the Cathedral. The music consists of full settings scored for choir, soloists and orchestra of Psalms 110-113 and 117, and the Magnificat. In the context of the service of Vespers, each psalm would have been preceded and followed by a chanted antiphon, together with readings, responses and prayers.

Salzburg Cathedral where Mozart’s Solemn Vespers would have been performed

Although never intended for concert use, the Vespers music makes a satisfying programme, in the same way that we are accustomed to hearing the component parts of a Mass or Requiem in the concert hall. It gives us an opportunity to hear some rarely-performed and very beautiful choral gems from Mozart’s pen. The best-known movement, the gently lilting setting of Laudate Dominum for soprano solo, is often heard separately. The Society has performed the work only once previously, at a Kirklees concert in March 1995 under Jane Glover with the Northern Sinfonia. Beethoven’s Mass in C had an unhappy first performance. Commissioned by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II of Eisenstadt in honour of his wife Maria’s name-day in September 1807, it was intended to follow a succession of brilliant mass settings made by Haydn up until 1802. But it did not find favour with the Prince, who expressed his displeasure to Beethoven. The composer left the court immediately, never to return. Nevertheless, Beethoven regarded it highly. He wrote: “I do not speak gladly of my Mass, or of myself, but I do believe that I have treated the text in a manner in which only few have treated it”. It remains a favourite work – especially among singers – for its elegant balance, lovely melodies, and idiomatic vocal writing. The work is divided into the usual five sections (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus/Benedictus and Agnus Dei) and interweaves the soloists and the chorus throughout. The characteristic sudden extremes of dynamic and the dramatic flourishes of Beethoven’s later works appear fleetingly, usually at moments of heightened joy or anguish. The Mass was heard by a wider public just over a year later when, in December 1808, it was part of a massive concert in Vienna. Its durability and popularity over the next two centuries rather suggests that it was Prince Nikolaus’s ear that was at fault and not the Mass! Its quality was recognised by Mendelssohn who conducted it in Düsseldorf in 1837, a decade after Beethoven’s death. The Society has given two previous performances: in 1979 under Mark Elder, and in 1994 under Jane Glover. Jim Cowell, April 2016

The Great Organ of Salzburg Cathedral

NEWS SPRING 2016

HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL YOUTH CHOIR

HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL YOUNG VOICES

Celebrating 30 Years - Anniversary Concert 7 pm - Saturday 9th July 2016 Holy Trinity Church – Huddersfield - HD1 4DT (opposite side of the road from the Conservatory at the bottom of Greenhead Park)

Tickets £10 – Seniors & KPH £9 – In Education £5 – from 01484 548602 We are looking for any former members from the Children’s Choir, Young Voices or Youth Choir since 1986 to come and join us for the concert If you live locally and would like to sing at the concert you can join us to rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 8.30 pm for an hour - on Wed 8th June for 5 weeks to Wed 6th July - leading up to the concert at All Hallows CE Infant School – Longcroft, Almondbury HD5 8XW BUT YOU MUST REGISTER FIRST so that we can prepare music for you.   

Give your name both now (and as it was when you were in the choir) Say roughly what years you sang with us Say which choir section you were in when you left AIN GRANT Give us a contact email address and phone number Email junior.choirs@huddersfieldchoral.com with your information a.s.a.p. Mayor’s Concert ‘Last Night in the Hall’ th 5 March 2016 for Diabetes Local Care Olaf pops in to rehearsal Disney’s ‘Frozen’ In performance with lasers for excitement!

Pulling out all the stops

Tracks include some very well-known favourites from our repertoire, such as Parry I was glad, Stainer God so loved the World, Vaughan Williams Old Hundredth and Elgar Give unto the Lord. Our plea to subscribers, friends and members to help fund this venture has not fallen on deaf ears and at the time of writing this we have received donations of £9,000 if we include the gift aid contributions. This, together with the sponsorship from Syngenta, should cover the costs. It has been such a pleasure to speak with our subscribers and friends and to learn of their commitment and interest in the Society. We are fortunate indeed to have such generous support. One letter received was from Mr Wolstenholme – a past subscriber and now a Friend of the Choral. Not only does he have strong links with Rochdale Town Hall but his grandmother, at the turn of the last century, would travel by train each Friday across the Pennines to sing with the choir. He still has her original score for Messiah and those for performances of “the great Elgar works”. She was fond of telling her grandson, “Don’t underestimate the works of Elgar”. Sir Samuel Turner (Mr Wolstenholme’s great great grandfather) was the benefactor who donated the Rochdale Town Hall organ. The following facts have been gleaned from an ex – colleague who now gives tours of the Rochdale Town Hall. It was opened in 1871 but without the organ intended for the three imposing arches at the west end of the Great Hall. A contemporary account said “It is proposed to let the temporary decoration of the organ loft remain until the organ is fixed, some time hence”. It was in fact to be more than forty years before the time when Alderman Samuel Turner J.P. came forward with the gift of the organ by J.J.Binns of Bramley, Leeds. The opening recital was on 9 July 1913. The organist was Herbert Wilson, the organist of Glasgow Cathedral, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. Samuel Turner (1840-1924) was one of three brothers who founded the Rochdale industrial firm Turner Brothers. He was twice Mayor of Rochdale (1901-1903) and an Honorary Freeman of the Borough. He was knighted in February 1914. Alderman Turner’s place of worship was the Wesleyan Association Baillie Street Chapel which had a large Binns organ and this may have influenced his choice of organ builder. Two conditions were attached to the gift, that the cost should not be revealed and that the organ should be made available for organists wishing to practice. It is still used for this purpose.

At the end of the 1970s the organ underwent a complete rebuild and has had other attention since then. The Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside Organists’ Association has a regular calendar of events, and the organ is played as part of the monthly public tours of the Town Hall. In 2013 the organist at Rochdale, Jonathan Scott, recorded a special centenary CD for the venue. This brings another remarkable coincidence into play in that Jonathan is a former accompanist of the Choral. Anyone wishing to hear what the organ sounds like can listen to Jonathan playing the Overture to Tannhauser (Wagner) on his website at jonathanscott.co.uk, where you can also buy the CD or many others from Jonathan’s catalogue. The Society also has yet another interesting connection with the organ in Rochdale Town Hall. Richard Barraclough, who was the Society’s President from 1986-1988, recalls his visit to the hall. “In my school days I had a friend, also a lover of music. One time his father announced, to my delight, that he had obtained permission for the two of us to play the organ in Rochdale Town Hall. What a delight to behold the wonderful organ case and console and even more to explore the sounds of this wonderful instrument”. The closure of Huddersfield Town Hall has caused the committee a considerable amount of additional work and worry. They are to be congratulated on the way in which they have indeed pulled out all the stops to overcome the hurdles it presented. Even this problem has, I believe, brought some positives. We have the chance to perform in The Royal Hall in Harrogate and in Rochdale Town Hall and it has been heart-warming to see how our singers, professionals, subscribers and friends have given their support. A huge thank you to you all. Jenny Lockwood

The Binn’s Organ in Rochdale Town Hall

ROCHDALE TOWN HALL

It promises to be a very popular CD with Thomas Trotter at the organ and Aidan Oliver conducting.

There is little doubt that Binns designed and built an organ fit for the scale and splendour of Huddersfield–born architect, W.H.Crosland’s magnificent Great Hall. The organ is a concert organ, technically and tonally advanced for its time, with the latest pneumatic action and combination system.

JONATHAN SCOTT

As you will all be aware we have had to change plans this season due to the unavailability of Huddersfield Town Hall. This includes our recording of “British Choral Music”. Luckily we have been able to book the Town Hall in Rochdale. Recording will take place on June 3rd, 4th and 5th and rehearsals are going well.

Rochdale Town Hall

DO YOU REMEMBER... - 40? Wednesday 17 March 1976 Te Deum – Dvorak Serenade to Music - Vaughan Williams A Child of our Time - Tippett BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra John Pritchard – Conductor Jill Gomez – Soprano Alfreda Hodgson – Contralto David Hillman – Tenor Alan Opie - Baritone Clifford Grant – Bass Sydney Crowther reporting in the Huddersfield Examiner stated..... The Te Deum was a splendid start. This is music that reminds one that Dvorak began music by fiddling on the village green. The feel of the open air; country dance rhythms enter, and the general freshness is never spoiled by insincerity. This was a beautiful performance by all concerned. Musical tastes are wide in this part of the country, but do not apparently include a passion for the music of Michael Tippett, whose Child of our Time was given its first performance in Huddersfield last night. ........There were some empty seats, unusual for a Choral concert. Was this because people were afraid of Tippett? Or because Wednesday is not so convenient as a Friday night. Mr Crowther, also writing for the Yorkshire Post wrote..... (Referring to the Tippett) ..... It was given, on the whole, a fine performance and the negro spiritual elements in it were given with undeniable richness of effect. The orchestra was the very satisfactory BBC Northern and there was a first class company of soloists

FINANCIAL SUPPORT The Society is deeply grateful to all our Partners, Sponsors and Patrons for the help that they give us to support our work in bringing high quality music making to our town, our country and occasionally, the world. This season we are being supported by: MEDIA PARTNER Fantastic Media

Our Music Director, Martyn Brabbins, writes… The music of Ludwig van Beethoven is a great source of inspiration for me and for many millions of music lovers all over the world. One can only have a sense of awe and wonder contemplating his compositions, knowing that in his later years he was profoundly deaf! In the musical life of Japan one Beethoven work in particular is revered above all others. In December every Japanese orchestra and chorus perform the ‘Great 9th’, as they affectionately name the Choral Symphony. At the end of last year I had the great privilege of conducting two performances of this wonderful work with the Nagoya Philharmonic and the Aichi Prefecture Choral League. The place of the 9th in Japanese musical life can be likened somewhat to the place of the Messiah in our musical culture. Ritually each year these works are performed with great care and affection and appreciated by very large audiences. In Nagoya each performance had an attendance of 2000 people! The audiences both in the east and here at home mark the passing of the year and the approaching celebrations of Christmas and the New Year with the renewing power of music. One of the most memorable moments of the Nagoya ‘Great 9th’ was encountering the 200 members of the Aichi chorus – all Japanese of course. Their enthusiasm was amazing to behold and they sang rehearsals and performances from memory! I have never experienced such joy as on the faces of the 200 choral singers at the moment the final D major tutti rang out in the packed Forest Hall in Nagoya. A truly memorable occasion. The Forest Hall in Nagoya

Warm greetings to the whole Choral community. MARTYN BRABBINS

SPONSORS – CORPORATE University of Huddersfield Syngenta The Greenbank Group Country Classics (J.Gledhill & Sons) Inclusive Technology Ltd. Investec Wealth and Investment Ltd. SPONSORS – PERSONAL W. Currie & Friends Helen Marshall Jean Parker PATRONS - CORPORATE Wilkinson Building Supplies

Baxter Caulfield SS Components PATRONS – PERSONAL Elizabeth Crowther – OBE Mrs. Diana Franklin J. Donald Haywood – DL Gerald and Christina Sutton Jane and Alan Pridmore Mrs. Betty Webb PATRONS – HONORARY Joanne Harris – MBE Dr. Ingrid Roscoe – FSA Alan Titchmarsh - MBE

IN THE LOOP

DIARY

In this section we will aim to keep everyone up to date with the many facets of the Society’s work.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday 3/4/5 June 2016 – Rochdale Town Hall. HCS Recording of British Choral Music CD (Closed Event)

TOWN HALL CLOSURE The Concert Hall of the Town Hall was closed in mid March for urgent repairs to the roof. Kirklees have said that it will remain closed until September, thus affecting the Subscribers’ Ballot and the Annual General Meeting. The ballot will be held at our rehearsal hall at Greenhead College on 21 June at 7pm (there is free car parking at the college) and the Annual General Meeting is rehoused in Greenhead Masonic Hall on 8 July at 7.30pm. Full details of both these events will be sent out shortly. CD RECORDING Elsewhere in the Newsletter there is a detailed article about this event. Please note that this recording will not be open to the general public. HCS YOUTH CHOIRS Our former ‘Junior Choirs’ have rebranded themselves, with a new name, logo and their own new website to follow shortly. The Youth Choirs are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their formation this year and they have arranged a reunion celebration concert to be held in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday 9 July 2016. They are hoping that many former members will be able to join them to mark this auspicious occasion. Further details are shown on the Youth Choirs page. VERDI REQUIEM AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL The Society has accepted an invitation from the Raymond Gubbay organisation to take part in a performance of the Verdi Requiem at the RAH on Saturday 24 September 2016. This will be accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and will also feature the Royal Choral Society and the London Philharmonic Choir. The conductor is Brian Wright and tickets are on sale from the RAH Box Office or their website. HUDDERSFIELD CONCERTS Our autumn concert will be held on Friday 21 October 2016 and will be a feast of music from the Classical period. Please see Jim Cowell’s excellent preview of this concert elsewhere in the Newsletter. The programme would be an excellent starter concert for anyone wanting to listen to the Choral for the first time, or indeed for people interested in joining the choir and wanting to hear the end product first. Please encourage any friends or acquaintances to come along to this superb evening of music. The contact for tickets is Jane Armitage, our Subscribers’ Secretary, via our website.

Tuesday 21 June 2016 – Greenhead College, Greenhead Road - 7.00pm. HCS Subscribers’ Ballot for 2016/17 Season. Friday 8 July 2016 – Greenhead Masonic Hall, Greenhead Road - 7.30pm. HCS – Annual General Meeting Saturday 9 July 2016 – Holy Trinity Church - 7.00pm. HCS Youth Choirs – 30th Anniversary Concert Saturday 24 September 2016 – Royal Albert Hall, London - 7.30pm. Verdi Requiem Friday 21 October 2016 – Huddersfield Town Hall - 7.30pm. HCS Subscription Concert – Handel, Mozart, Beethoven Friday 9 December 2016 – Huddersfield Town Hall - 7.30pm. HCS Christmas Concert – with HCS Youth Choirs and Black Dyke Band. Presenter Gervase Phinn. Tuesday 20 December 2016 – Huddersfield Town Hall - 7.15pm. HCS Subscription Concert - Messiah Wednesday 21 December 2016 – Huddersfield Town Hall - 7.15pm. HCS Public Concert - Messiah

Friends’ Prize Draw Winners John and Rosamund Gray won the annual Friends’ draw to be guests of the President at our Christmas Concert. They are pictured here with Society president, Jane Sargent and Friends’ Secretary, Cynthia Pratt.

CHOIR TRAINING The Society is in the middle of a process to identify and appoint a new Choral Director. The chosen person will be fully involved in the planning of the choir’s performance schedule and training. Some highly regarded individuals have already been to Huddersfield and worked with the choir, others are still to follow. We are hoping to make an appointment within the next few months.

CANADA Arrangements continue apace for the choir’s trip to Canada around Spring Bank Holiday 2017. We have already confirmed five concerts; two in Kitchener Waterloo and three in Toronto and we are looking forward to working with our host choirs and two top rated Symphony Orchestras.

JOHN GRAY

The Christmas Concert is on Friday 9 December when we will be delighted to welcome Gervase Phinn, the best selling author and public speaker, as our guest presenter. Messiah performances follow on Tues/Weds 20/21 December. The conductor this year is our Music Director, Martyn Brabbins.

Cutting down on paper and postage The Society is trying to reduce its costs, both monetarily and environmentally, by sending out fewer paper copies of the newsletter. If you would be willing to receive the newsletter by e-mail from now on, please send your name, address and category (ie Associate Member, Subscriber, Sponsor or Friend) to our editor, Stephen Brook at, stephen.brook1@ntlworld.com NB. If you have already informed us due to reading this in a previous edition, there is no need to get in touch again.