A CHOIR is teaming up with one of Europe’s top jazz composers.

The internationally-renowned Bolsterstone Male Voice Choir is working with Europe’s leading jazz musicians and composers for the most ambitious musical project in its long history.

Among them is multi-instrumentalist and innovator John Surman, who has been commissioned to write a contemporary piece of work for saxophone, piano and male voice choir.

He chose former world champions Bolsterstone to perform with him after listening to a selection of the choir’s CDs.

Surman, who has played with most of the world’s top jazz musicians including Ronnie Scott, Humphrey Lyttleton and Stan Tracey has also written for films, television and radio.

He is renowned for composing suites for symphony orchestras, and has already flown over from his home in Norway for an initial session with the choir, who have been busy learning the vocals.

“Bolsterstone is a fine choir and I’m very excited about what we will be able to achieve together,” he said.

“I’ve written the piece specifically for them and our first session together went extremely well.”

Choir chairman Roger Pont said: “It’s a tremendous privilege to be asked to work with such internationally acclaimed musicians as John and his talented piano player Howard Moody, who is also an established composer and conductor.

“Because the project is a departure from our usual repertoire, it is an exciting challenge for the choir and our first get-together with John and Howard was truly inspirational.

“Our singers absolutely love what is a totally new experience for us.”

The work, commissioned by the BBC and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, draws from several different sources, including the industrial revolution as it affected West Yorkshire and smuggling in Devon.

It will be performed at Huddersfield Town Hall as part of the festival on November 16, 2012, and also at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, during the London Jazz Festival in association with BBC Radio 3 the following day.

It will also be recorded on that day by BBC Radio 3.