RICHARD Hoyle is all set to bring a 60 strong male voice choir from Croydon to the town where he went to school and where he knows music reigns supreme.

“I am the musical director of the Croydon Male Voice Choir, but I’m from Huddersfield so this is quite a moment for me to bring my contingent of 60 'soft southerners' to my home patch,” he says affectionately.

“I left Huddersfield New College and moved to London to study nearly 40 years ago and, apart from a brief return in the late '80s, I have been here ever since, though part of me is forever rooted to the view over Huddersfield from Castle Hill!”

Richard’s arrival in Huddersfield will be greeted with delight by supporters of St George’s Church in Brockholes where the Croydon choir sings on Saturday, May 31. The choir will also sing in St Mary’s Church in Barnsley on the previous evening, May 30.

It’s a double engagement that Richard views with great pride. There’ll be a warm welcome for Richard from his dad, Ken Hoyle who still lives in the town. Ken is well-known in amateur theatre circles as a skilled actor with societies including Huddersfield Thespians.

But he’s no mean singer either having appeared with many local amateur operatic societies.

Those musical skills have clearly been passed to Richard who took over the Croydon choir in 2000.

“I’m really proud of my men in the choir. Very few read music but their appetite for learning and singing with real passion and sensitivity continually amazes me.

“I have left them all in no doubt that we are travelling to a part of England that needs no lessons in how to sing and enjoy good music; that the beacon of the Huddersfield Choral Society, an annual music competition, countless male voice choirs of high quality, inspirational brass bands and an annual contemporary music festival makes my town a musical giant. Much to my satisfaction most of my men knew this already!” said Richard.

The Croydon Male Voice Choir has been singing for 33 years.Š It was formed in 1975, under the name of the David Neal Gentleman Songsters.ŠŠ David Neal died in 1977, to be replaced as leader by Phil Ratcliffe, and soon afterwards the choir assumed its current name.ŠThe choir acquired a new director, Ozzie Arnold in 1994, who was replaced in 2000 by its current director, Richard Hoyle.

At first the choir was sponsored by the South Suburban Co-op.ŠNow it is financially independent, as well as raising funds for local and national charities.Š

The men first sang in the traditional dinner jackets, then in pullovers, finally in today’s stylish silver-blue jackets and maroon ties. Š

From modest beginnings, the choir has grown into an ensemble with spreading horizons and the highest technical standards. It has staged a series of massed choir concerts at the Fairfield Halls, has toured to Cornwall, South Wales, France and Belgium and won the prestigious Morrison Orpheus Prize, awarded in competition to the best choir in southern England.

The choir sang at the memorial to the late Speaker of the House of Commons, Lord Weatherill, and has provided singers for the choir at the British Legion Services of Remembrance at the Albert Hall.Š

The singers have also got quite a recording record having made five tapes and/or CDs and are about to record their sixth.ŠŠ

The choir can be assured of a warm welcome in Yorkshire. Both concerts begin at 7.30pm.