Music teacher Jane Hobson is the Gareth Malone of Huddersfield.

By day she works with children, teaching musical instruments and singing, but in the evenings she nurtures and directs three adult choirs. In the past year alone has helped them to win no fewer than five first place trophies in choral competitions. It is a feat that she is inordinately proud of.

“I think of myself as a parent of music,” says Jane, who lives in Skelmanthorpe, “what’s the point of me having my talent and skill if I can’t pass it on.”

The three choirs who benefit from Jane’s years of experience are Skelmanthorpe Male Voice Choir, Penistone Ladies Choir and Hobson’s Chorus, a small male-voice group. Between them they have scooped prizes at the Mrs Sunderland Festival, Penistone and Biddulph Music Festivals .

However, it’s fair to say that Jane never set out to direct three champion choirs. In fact, until Hobson’s Chorus was founded 15 years ago she’d never worked with an adult or male voice choir, although she’d been in choirs herself - singing with the Salvation Army choir in her native Kirkburton as a child and as a member of Huddersfield Choral Society for 30 years - and had directed children’s singing groups.

Today she is firmly part of the Huddersfield musical tradition, a tradition that sets the area apart. As she says: “It’s not just the amount of music that’s around in this area, it’s the standard. It’s only when you go outside Huddersfield that you realise what a high standard we have and a strong tradition of choirs, brass bands and church music.”

Music teacher, Jane Hobson of Skelmanthorpe.

Jane, 59, is old enough to have benefitted from a sound musical education at school. In fact, she learned her first musical instrument, the recorder, at Highburton First School, where she now teaches part time. “We all learned music in those days,” she says, “but the new Government policy on music in schools covers just one page - provision is very patchy. Unfortunately, the arts and music are always the first thing to be cut.”

However, at Highburton children still get the opportunity to learn to play instruments - woodwind, string and brass - and the school has a thriving choir, headed, of course, by Jane. She explained: “I have more than 30 children who stay behind for choir practice and they absolutely love it. You get a tremendous lift from singing together that brings joy to the children. There are many benefits for children from learning music and singing - it’s good for your physical and emotional health and helps with their school work - that’s well documented. But it’s also just a pleasurable activity. Children are forced into academic subjects and they work hard. Music can also be a challenge but there’s a reward at the end. Music brings a certain life to a school and gives parents the chance to watch their children accomplish something.”

Jane was brought up with music, so perhaps it’s not surprising that she went on to educate others. Her father was a member of Holmfirth Choral Society and her mum played the piano. She taught herself to play the piano at her grandmother’s house as a child and managed to get to grade three standard before starting formal lessons.

The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone

Such was her interest in music that the music teacher at her secondary school in Kirkburton, Ken Rothery, launched the first-ever CSE music course for Jane and a group of fellow pupils.

At college she went on to take up the guitar and continue with voice lessons. Today she also plays the oboe and ukelele.

Over the years she has been a soloist with a number of choirs and for a time was the organist at Clayton West Methodist Church, which had its own pop cantata group. When she talks of ‘passing on her talent’ it’s clear to see why she feels that way - she’s done so much and developed such an eclectic musical expertise.

Jane’s foray into the world of adult choirs came about when she was asked, by a friend, if she would direct a small ensemble of male voices for a one-off event. “I didn’t know anything about male voice choirs,” she says, “but I managed to get them through their performance.

“Then six years ago Skelmanthorpe Male Voice Choir if I would direct them. I’d been singing with them as a soloist, so I got the job.

Music teacher, Jane Hobson of Skelmanthorpe.

“And four years ago Penistone Ladies’ conductor had become ill so they asked if I could get them through Christmas - and then they wanted to go in for the Mrs Sunderland (which they won). So now I have three choirs.”

Jane is delighted that there has been a resurgence of interest in choral music in recent years, attributable to the ‘Gareth Malone effect’, and is a firm believer in the life-enhancing qualities of communal singing. She explained: “Singing is holistic. It’s good for the whole body and mind. You are breathing properly, improving your circulation and standing correctly. It’s good for you emotionally as well.”

* Hobsons Chorus begins its Christmas season with a concert in All Hallows Parish Church, Almondbury, on Saturday, November 21, at 7.30pm. The evening of light music is in aid of church funds. Tickets are £7 on the door.