Success of Beech Children’s Gospel Choir

May 14 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Success of young gospel choir

This week is Local Newspaper Week and today EMMA DAVISON turns the spotlight on the Examiner’s vital role in keeping our rich musical heritage alive and also profiles a young gospel choir on its 10th anniversary

IT’S the hand-clapping, toe-tapping choir that’s putting a smile on the faces of audiences across Huddersfield.

And as Beech Children’s Gospel Choir prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, organisers are still amazed how it has grown from such humble beginnings to performing to crowds both around the country and closer to home.

The choir at Beech Early Years, Infant and Junior School started as a result of a community project being run by Yorkshire Youth and Music.

The project aims to promote music making to young people and was holding a series of taster sessions on various aspects of the arts at the school.

The children were asked to pick a performing art to introduce to school life on a more regular basis and they unanimously voted for gospel singing.

A choir was formed in 2000 headed up by professional gospel singer Tyndale Thomas.

Recently awarded an MBE, Manchester-based Tyndale performs with his choirs throughout the UK, Europe and America and has shared the stage with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone.

The Golcar-based choir was a big success with young performers who loved the unique style of music and quickly swelled to a membership of 40 children aged seven upwards.

But just three years after the group was formed it was threatened with closure after funding by the Yorkshire Youth and Music project ended.

Determined to see their choir survive, members pulled together to keep it going by asking for donations and organising fundraisers.