A SCHOOL choir, formed less than a year ago, has won a medal at an international competition.
All Saints Catholic College Choir was awarded a bronze medal in the Youth Choir category of the World Choir Games held in Graz, Austria.
Inspired by the BBC documentary The Choir, All Saints Catholic College, in conjunction with the Opal foundation and the Diocese of Leeds, formed a choir from scratch.Š
In April, 2008, it took first prize in the Opal Magic of Music competition in the Royal Albert Hall in London – the first prize being an all expenses paid trip to Austria this summer to compete in the World Choir Games.
The choir, which includes 36 male and female singers, competed in the Youth Choir category against choirs from Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.
The group sang four pieces with Macedonian, Russian and modern American themes.
The choir was conducted by Christopher McElroy, the assistant director of music for Leeds diocese, and accompanied on the piano by Dr Christopher Johns, choral director for the Leeds diocese. School music teacher Catherine Lunn played the flute.
At the World Choir Games the All Saints group was up against more than 400 choirs from 91 countries, many of whom have worked together for years and were much more experienced.
Head teacher Mary Nixon said: “The whole college community is bursting with pride at this success. We felt that participation was the greatest honour, but to triumph so spectacularly on the world stage is a moment these students and our college will savour for a very long time. We have already taken bookings for the autumn!”
Choir director Chris McElroy said: ‘The choir have performed marvellously: over the last year they have worked hard together as a team, inspiring each other to further develop their choral singing skills.ŠThe bronze medal which they have been awarded is richly deserved.’
