Disney anthems and pop ballads made their Mrs Sunderland Music Festival debut this weekend.

Talented young singers performed songs from Disney animated hits such as Frozen, The Lion King and Pocahontas.

The festival also featured pop ballads, including those by Dido, Beyonce and Whitney Houston, for the first time in its 126-year history.

Mrs Sunderland had previously been a traditional affair, mostly comprising classical music, songs from musicals and even Bible reading.

But in order to attract more young people – the mainstay of the festival – more contemporary classes have been added.

The first-ever winner of a ‘Magic of Walt Disney’ class was James Fitzsimons, of Saddleworth, who won adjudicator Maria Jagusz’s heart with his rendition of ‘Someday’ from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, in the year six and under category.

Emily Watson, from York, came first in the debut Disney school year nine under class with her version of ‘God Help the Outcasts’, from the same 1996 hit movie.

Matthew Rhodes of Cleckheaton during his piano recital pieces in the Class 9 Piano Recital Class held in the concert hall of the town hall.

Ms Jagusz, also an opera singer and singing tutor, said: “We had a real variety and some really great singing. It’s brilliant that the festival is bringing in classes like this.

“It’s good that the festival is thinking about what the youngsters want to do.”

Festival chairman Ray Brown celebrated the success of the new modern classes. Mr Brown said: “Both classes were really well supported.

“Many of the performers really got into the characters. They had obviously watched the films and done lots of singing to them.”

Saturday also featured adult classes including British solo composer, French Mélodie and light opera alongside a vocal solo category for singers 50 and over.

The afternoon featured vocal classes for youngsters and adults including an unaccompanied folk song contest for schoolchildren.

Mrs Sunderland honorary life member William Exley was given a gold award for 50 years’ service while programme maker Elaine Rawling was given an award for 25 years’ service.

Joshua Taylor of Harrogate completes his piano recital pieces in the Class 9 Piano Recital Class held in the concert hall of the town hall.

RESULTS

  • Class 1 piano solo for year three and under- 1 Madeleine North, 2 Jessica Howson and 3 Aarti Sharma-Uppal;
  • Class 2 piano solo for year four and under- 1 Rishi Ramesh, 2 Jessica Howson, 3 Rachel Zhuang and Esme Marper;
  • Class 6 piano solo year 10 and under- 1 Sejal Dherbi, 2 Edwin Farrar, 3 Benjamin Minogue;
  • Class 7 piano solo year 12 and under- 1 Kitty Byrne, 2 Tanvi Ramesh;
  • Class 8 piano solo Sonatina year nine and under- 1 Patrick Townsend, 2 Sejal Dherbi 3 India Singleton;
  • Class 9 piano recital year 11 and under- 1 Joshua Taylor, 2 Matthew Rhodes, 3 Joel Ho;
  • Class 10 piano solo open- 1 Adam Repa, 2 Lydia Wyatt, 3 Matthew Cawood;
  • Class 11 piano solo music theatre and film- 1 Chloe Nico;
  • Class 13 piano solo Chopin open- 1 Lydia Wyatt, 2 Kitty Byrne, 3 Matthew Cawood and Matthew Palmer;
  • Class 15 piano duet year six and under- 1 Isabel Crow and Emma Walker, 2Jessainia Adnan and Aliya Ahmed , 3 Aliya Isobel Ahmed Crowe and Emma Walker;
  • Class 16 piano duet year nine and under- 1 Daniel and Joshua Taylor, 2 Elizabeth Ashton and India Singleton;
  • Class 17 piano duet open-1 Matthew Rhodes and George Jenkins, 2 Kitty Cameron and Lily Cameron;
  • Class 18 family piano duet any age- 1 Triona and Deji Adegoroye, 2 Ella and Benjamin Minogue, 3 Edward and Keith Freeman and Kitty and Daisy Cameron;
  • Class 14 Piano Solo 1 Matthew Cawood, 2 William jones, 3 Joel Ho;
  • Class 12 Piano Solo Sonata Open 1 Adam Repa 2 Kitty Byrne, 3 Joel Ho;
  • Class 3 Piano Soloist School year 5 and under - 1 Rachel Zhuang, 2 Charlotte Redlough 3 Isobel Crowe:
  • Class 4 Piano Solo School year 6 and under - 1 Gabby Lin, 2 Rachel Zhuang, 3 Grace Bristow.
  • Class 5 Piano Solo School year 8 and under - 1 Grace Turner, 2 Daisy Cameron, 3 Elizabeth Ashton, India Singleton & Benjamin Minogue;
  • Class 53 Girls Solo School Year 5 and under - 1 Madeleine North, 2 Lola Stubbs, 3 Sophie Clee;
  • Class 54 Girls Solo School years 6 and 7 - 1 Amara Dobson, 2 Ophelia Ormerod, 3 Emily Watson
  • Class 55 Girls Solo School years 8 and 9 - 1 Charlotte Browne, 2 Alice Lambert, 3 Molly Mellor;
  • Class 56 Boys Solo Unbroken Voice - 1 Zachary Smith, 2 Samuel Fitzsimmons, 3 Luke Kissack;
  • Class 74 Oratorio or Sacred Work - 1 Rebecca Parr, 2 Debbie Hemingway, 3 James Gaighan;
  • Class 75 Operatic Solo17 yrs and over - 1 Phoebe Smith, 2 Richard Buxton, 3 Sally Mitchell;
  • Class 58 Girls Solo School years 10 and 11 - 1 Catie Sambrook, 2 Charlotte Town, 3 Georgia Collier;
  • Class 59 Girls Solo School years 12 and 13 - 1 Gaia Hinchliffe, 2 Phoebe Smith, 3 Milile Crowther;
  • Class 61 Young Singers’ English Song - 1 Charlotte Town, 2 Catie Sambrook, 3 Josephine French;
  • Class 60 Young Men’s Solo School Year 13 and under - 1 Colin Shires;
  • Class 79 German Lieder 17 years and over - 1 Colin Spencer, 2 Rebecca Parr 3 Richard Buxton.

Eileen Bass Trophy for most promising pianist awarded to Adam Repa, presented by Rodney Bass, in memory of his wife, Eileen, a wonderful pianist.