The name might have changed but the Huddersfield Mrs Sunderland Festival 2014 still resonates with perfect pitch.
Retiring chairman Michael Hampshire was full of admiration for Saturday night’s Celebrating Success Concert – and what a glittering line-up it was.
Four of the hottest talents in town were there including Emma Williams who trained at Stage ‘84 and with Michael and has gone on to enjoy an illustrious career in the West End as well as obtaining major TV credits such as Bleak House and Where The Heart Is.
Completing a compelling line-up were soprano Sarah Ogden, trumpeter Rebecca Robertson, violinist Rachel Spencer, Colne Valley Male Voice Choir and Lindley Junior School Choir.
Michael said: “We wanted to put on a concert which included the people, soloists and choirs who have supported us down the years.
“In particular we wanted to celebrate the fact that these four young ladies have gone right through the festival from the age of six and have made it big on the national stage. We wanted to celebrate their fantastic achievements.”
The legendary Colne Valley Male Voice Choir which has earned a high reputation not only in this country but abroad too, needs little introduction but Michael said he was impressed with the discipline shown by their somewhat younger colleagues in the school choir.
He said: “The discipline they showed, the way they worked together was fantastic.
“I also commented that children are tested way too much these days and there’s no room for music. Yet music has it all – there’s team work, an element of self-expression and an element of physicality – learning deep breathing exercises and how to project your voice.
“I told the audience: ‘wouldn’t it be better if the Government introduced choral music as a staple on the national curriculum?’
“When you have a success like last night, when you saw what stunning young women they are, it was just wonderful to remember those four girls entering the Sunderland all those years ago.”
RESULTS
Oratorio or Sacred Work Solo – 17 years and over: 1) Rebecca Godley 2) Natasha Agarwal) 3 Jack Bowtell
German Lieder – 17 years and over: 1) Laura Wood 2) Rachel Crisp 3) Anise Carswell
Unaccompanied Folk Song – 17 years and over: 1) Richard Charles 2) Dawn Rodgers
English Song Solo – 17 years and over 1) Richard Buxton 2) Jack Bowtell
French Melodie – 17 years and over: 1) Rachel Crisp 2) Laura Wood 3) Natasha Agarwal
British Composer Solo – 17 years and over: 1) Annabelle Pepper 2) Malcolm Buncher 3) Kath Ireland
Operatic Solo – 17 years and over: 1) Natasha Agarwal 2) Annabelle Pepper 3) Rachel Crisp
Vocal Solo for performers aged 50 and over: 1) Malcolm Buncher 2) Margaret Laycock
Girls’ Solo – School Year 5 & under: 1) Elizabeth Walker 2) Jessica Davidson 3) Madeleine North
Girls’ Solo – School Years 8 & 9: 1) Charlotte Town 2) Louise Page 3) Ruth Dobbins
Girls’ Solo – School Years 12 & 13: 1) Natasha Agarwal 2) Emily Peace 3) Lydia Bradd
Boys’ Solo – Unbroken Voice: 1) Colin Shires 2) Thomas Morton
Young Men’s Solo – School Year 13 & under (Broken voice only): 1) Jake Adams 2) Tom Ramsay 3) Andrew Featherstone
Girls’ Solo – School Years 10 & 11: 1) Gaia Hinchliffe 2) Megan-Rose Dobbins 3) Catie Sambrook
Girls’ Solo – School Years 6 & 7: 1) Emily Watson 2) Hannah Quinn 3) Ophelia Ormerod
Music Theatre – 17 years and over: 1) Richard Buxton 2) Chloe Byrnes 3) Tom Ramsay
Light Opera Solo – 17 years and over: 1) Andrew Bailey 2) Rachel Crisp 3) Rebecca Godley
Young Singers’ English Song – School Year 13 & under: 1) Natasha Agarwal 2) Annabel Collier 3) Colin Shires/Catie Sambrook
The Huddersfield Choral Society Rose Bowl for Young Singers: Natasha Agarwal
Louise Hincliffe Trophy for most promising non-winner from classes 53-56: Emily Peace
Junior Singers’ Challenge: Emily Watson
Young Singers’ Vocal Recital Class – 16-20 years of age: 1) Natasha Agarwal 2) Emily Peace 3) Alice Brown
Vocal Recital – 21 years and over: 1) Rachel Crisp 2) Sally Mitchell 3) Annabelle Pepper.
Junior Music Theatre – School Years 10&11:1) Catie Sambrook 2) Megan-Rose Dobbins
Junior Music Theatre – School Years 8 & 9: 1) Georgia Collier 2) Ellie Salmon 3) Charlotte Reason
Premier Vocal Challenge: 1) Rebecca Godley 2) Natasha Agarwal 3) Annabelle Pepper/Alice Brown
Junior Music Theatre – School Year 5 & under: 1) Alex Wilkinson 2) Georgina Westwood 3) Elizabeth Walker
Pop Ballad – School Years 10-13: 1) Isabelle Goodall-Munroe 2) Toni-Marie Whiteley/Gabrielle Collier
War Poetry – open to all ages: 1) Kate Garner 2) Maddie Watkins.
Bible Reading – open: 1) Ann Kendall 2) Hilary Pollard 3) Gillian Tankard/Maddie Watkins
