fOR nearly half a century the Colne Valley Male Voice Choir has been hosting an annual Christmas concert – the festive season in Huddersfield wouldn’t be the same without it.

This year’s event, A Christmas Festival, on Sunday, December 13, in Huddersfield Town Hall promises to repeat the successful formula of choral songs, seasonal brass sounds from the world-famous Brighouse & Rastrick Band and a contribution by the young choristers of the Colne Valley Boys. Soloist, soprano Victoria Sharp, a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and member of the Opera North chorus, will also perform with both choir and band.

Brighouse & Rastrick will be led by their newly appointed resident conductor Leigh Baker who is Head of Music at Honley High School. Principal cornet is 24-year-old New Zealander Kyle Lawson who currently holds the title of 2015 Cornet Champion in both Australia and New Zealand. Sitting alongside him will be 18-year-old Dominic Longhurst from Sydney, Australia, who has recently become Assistant Principal Cornet to the Band.

Colne Valley Male Voice Choir general secretary Jenny Baxter said: “This is our 47th concert. Of the previous 46 we’ve had a number of top class brass bands as guests but this is the seventh consecutive year with Brighouse & Rastrick. We have a very close relationship with the band.”

While the concert will feature a fast-paced programme of traditional Christmas music, there’s also an operatic treat in store – a duet of All I Ask Of You from Phantom of the Opera by Victoria Sharp and Thom Meredith, who is also conducting the CVMVC and the Colne Valley Boys. Victoria has sung with the adult choir on four previous occasions at summer concerts in Scarborough.

Opera North chorus member and soprano Victoria Sharp

There’s much that will be familiar in the concert, including a number of sing-a-long carols – from Christians Awake to Hark the Herald Angels Sing – and it will showcase works such as A Fanfare for Christmas by R Wells and John Rutter’s The Very Best Time of Year.

There will also be familiar faces among the performers, including accompanist Keith Swallow, who has been with the CVMVC since 1957, and Dr Simon Lindley, compere of the Christmas concert for the last decade.

The Colne Valley Boys, however, are relative newcomers to the festive event. Formed five years ago as a junior section of the CVMVC, it has members from eight to 18 who meet each week under the direction of Thom Meredith.

A Christmas Festival promises an evening of uplifting sounds from 60 members of the award-winning male voice choir (2015 best choir in the International Cornwall Biennial Male Voice Choral Festival), 25 young choristers, top soloist and a championship band. It starts at 7.15pm and will conclude at 9.45pm.

Tickets are from £5 (concessions) to £17 from 01484 223200 or www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls

Get in the mood for Christmas with the Colne Valley Boys – the junior offshoot of Colne Valley Male Voice Choir – as they sing festive songs at St James Church, Slaithwaite, on Saturday, December 5.

The concert, which begins at 2.30pm, is being recorded by professional film maker Dave Kaye to make a promotional video for the choir.

The event will also showcase the talents of Kirklees Youth Brass Band and the Kirklees Teachers’ Choir. Tickets are £5 (children go free).