The Great Yorkshire Chorus

The Great Yorkshire Chorus

In recent years there has been a huge revival in the choir scene in the UK, thanks largely to momentum created by Gareth Malone. His many TV shows such as The Choir have shown normal people having life changing experiences through singing in a group with others.

In September, a brand new contemporary choir will launch in Saltaire, called the Great Yorkshire Chorus. This new group, led by local choir director Maria Mullin, hopes to build on the singing revival and bring something fresh and forward thinking to the local community and musical sphere in the region.

The Great Yorkshire Chorus is an open access choir that anyone over 18 can join. There are no auditions and no previous singing experience in needed. The new choir will sing an eclectic mix of music, including pop, soul, gospel and more. They are aspiring to be one of the most innovative and uplifting vocal groups in the region.

The choir is the brainchild of Maria Mullin, a local professional musician with a background in leading choirs. Maria has previously lead a number of choirs in the community, schools and workplaces and has directed ensembles supporting famous artists such as Leona Lewis, Russell Watson and G4. Maria says, “The Great Yorkshire Chorus is an amazing opportunity for people to enjoy the challenges and reward of singing in a choir. Our new choir aims to be relevant and accessible to ordinary people. We hope to attract many people who have not sung before, as well as experienced singers. It’s going to be an extraordinary journey and we just can’t wait to get started.”

The benefits of singing for health and wellbeing have been well documented in recent studies.

Regular singing has been shown to hugely reduce stress and improve mental health. The social aspect of being part of a choir is also a great benefit. “The social side of the choir will be massively important,” says Maria. “We hope that choir members will forge great new friendships

Maria Mullin

and we will be holding regular social events alongside our rehearsal schedule.”

The choir is now preparing for their launch night on Tuesday 11 September, 7.45pm at Victoria Hall, Saltaire. The launch night is free to attend, though places must be booked through their website at www.greatyorkshirechorus.co.uk More information about becoming a choir member can also be found on their website. Following the launch night, the choir will hold weekly rehearsals on Tuesday nights at Victoria Hall. “We are delighted to have Victoria Hall as our home”, says Maria. “It’s such a beautiful venue with a rich cultural heritage, at the heart of Saltaire Village. The acoustics are brilliant and we couldn’t have found a more fitting place to launch the Great Yorkshire Chorus.”

The choir already have their first performances lined up. Their first local event is booked in for October and now they are planning performances for the Christmas season.

Anyone interested in joining the choir should get in touch via their website at www. greatyorkshirechorus.co.uk The Great Yorkshire Chorus can also be found on Facebook.