Honley Ladies Choir members are on the lookout for men.
Not just any old men, but those who can carry a tune and are willing to join the long-established female choir in a Sing for Peace concert at Huddersfield Town Hall in November.
A campaign to drum up masculine support has so far netted 25 tenors and bass singers. “But we’d like another 25,” says Lynn Brooks, Honley member. “The more the merrier.”
The women were asked to stage a concert in aid of the Kirklees Mayor’s charity, The Royal British Legion, and decided they’d like to include Karl Jenkins’ well-known work The Armed Man in the programme. As the choral piece requires a male section to accompany the 60-strong female voices they had no choice but to put out a call for choristers to join them. They will also sing works by Parry and Orff.
“We have been to local male voice choirs and mixed voice choirs and have publicised it as much as possible,” said Lynn. “A few years ago we enlisted 180 women who had never sung before to join us at the town hall but we’re finding it much harder to persuade men, they seem more reluctant.
“We’re looking for men who perhaps have always thought of singing with a choir – we call them male voice virgins .”
Fellow Honley member Ann Talboys says her husband David falls into this category. “He will be joining us,” she explained. “He is a member of a community choir but this will be his first large scale choral work.”
Previous town hall concerts by the Honley choir, now in its 80th year, have netted up to £10,000 for charity and the women are hoping for another fund-raising success on November 4.
In the meantime they’d like any wannabe male voice virgins, or more experienced choristers, to contact Ann on anntalboys@btinternet.com or 01484 665843.
Rehearsals will begin in October on Monday and Thursday evenings at St Paul’s Church, Armitage Bridge.
