HOLMFIRTH Choral Society sings Handel’s Messiah in Holmfirth tomorrow night. (December 8)
The concert is in Holmfirth Civic Hall at 7.15pm and the Choral will be conducted by Dr Geoffrey Lockwood and accompanied by the Valley Sinfonia, leader Mary Barber. The society’s accompanist is Malcolm Hinchliffe.
The soloists will be Stephanie Ball (soprano), Emily Reaves (mezzo soprano), Colin Powell (tenor) and John Ramsdin (baritone).
Stephanie started her singing career with Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir and Kirklees Chorale. She graduated with a music degree from the University of Huddersfield where she was awarded the singing prize in her final year and continues to study with Patricia Hamilton.
Stephanie is a vocal tutor for Rochdale Music Service, runs an adult ‘Singing for Fun’ vocal class and has a number of private pupils. She is much in demand as a soloist.
Emily grew up in Huddersfield. She too began singing in the Huddersfield Choral Society Children’s Choir and moved through the ranks to the senior choir becoming, in 1990, their youngest ever member.
Emily graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music and now studies with Margaret McDonald.
She has embarked on a solo career undertaking recitals and concerts. Emily has also played roles with Silk Opera and for the last 11 years has been musical director of Honley Ladies Choir.
Colin Powell says he began singing at 13 to escape physics lessons.
Singing has been coursing through his veins ever since. He has sung for both Huddersfield and Halifax Choral Societies as well as Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, and more recently with Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir.
Baritone John Ramsdin sang as a boy in school and church, returned to singing in his mid-thirties and within 18 months had sung his first minor principal role with a local opera group.
John also continues to receive much acclaim for his comic performances in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
