Did you sing with the Huddersfield Choral Society Junior Choirs at any time in their 30-year history?
And would you like to sing with them once more, meet up with old friends and help celebrate the choirs’ special birthday this summer?
If so, the organisers of the Huddersfield Choral Youth Choirs, as they are now known, would like to hear from you.
Publicity officer Emily Stones says: “July marks the 30th anniversary of the choirs and we are celebrating it with a concert on July 9 at Holy Trinity Church in Greenhead, and inviting former members to come back and perform with us.”
Choristers old and new will get a chance to tackle a varied programme, including the famous Handel anthem Zadoc the Priest. But, perhaps just as importantly, the event will be a reunion of kindred spirits.
“We have quite a few former members of the junior choirs who are now in the senior choir,” said Emily, “but others have moved away and live all over the country.
“This is an opportunity for them to come back and join in. It will be great to see some familiar faces from across the years. They’re even letting me sing again.”
The choral society has set up a special email account, junior.choirs@huddersfieldchoral.com, for past choristers to make contact.
“We would like them to register their interest,” added Emily.
“They will be able to come to rehearsals and at the concert there will be a prolonged interval so they can all get together.”
The Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir was established back in 1986, with 95 members and conductor Ken Rothery at the helm. In 1988 the Children’s Choir was formed for those aged seven to 13.
It was headed by Beth Sharp. Today there is a Young Voices section for the seven to 13-year-olds; Vocalise, a chamber choir of unbroken voices; and a Youth Choir for 13 to 21-year-olds.
About 60 young people take part in rehearsals and concerts.
The choirs give six concerts a year and for the last two years have performed alongside parent choir Huddersfield Choral Society in a Christmas spectacular.
Susan Wilkinson, currently musical director of the youth choirs, has been involved with the groups since the beginning.
