WITH the Proms season plans being finalised, it was only right that Huddersfield Choral Society should find themselves busy.
And they’re going to be busy on the national stage – for the Choral Society has been selected to perform at two of the BBC Proms Season.
Thursday saw them announced among the line-up of top musical societies from around the country to form part of the BBC Proms season concerts.
Jenny Lockwood, vice-president of the society, said: “It is a great honour and we are absolutely delighted because it brings the Huddersfield Choral Society to a much wider audience.”
The choral will perform for the season twice, the first on August 11 will be in conjunction with other choirs from around the country for a performance of Berlioz Requiem with BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Thierry Fischer.
The second on September 3 will be a concert to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Desert Island Discs.
The choral will be appearing as the only choir with the BBC Concert Orchestra in a selection of favourites.
Jenny added: “Included in the programme are excepts from Handel’s Messiah and Coleridge-Taylor’s death of Minnehaha.
“It was highlighted as being number three of the top ten proms of the season and features the BBC Concert Orchestra and the conductor will be Keith Lockhart. Sir Willard White is one of the soloists.”
Rehearsals will soon be underway for the first of the two concerts.
“Our season has ended now but we’ll start rehearsals soon,” Jenny added.
“We have a concert with the Huddersfield Philharmonic Society this weekend but then we’ll start with the Proms rehearsals.”
The Proms announcement comes as they await news of a major award the choral had a hand in securing for top composer.
Next week at the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards 2012 sees Jonathan Harvey’s Messages shortlisted for the awards in the category of Large Scale Composition.
The Choral Society, conducted by Joseph Cullen and with the Orchestra of Opera North, performed the UK premiere of Messages at Huddersfield Town Hall last year as part of their 175th Anniversary Season and it is this performance that Messages is to be cited for the award.
“We are very excited that through our performance the composer has been put forward for this award,” Jenny added. “We gave the UK premier as part of our season last year and it’s good that we are a small part of such a prestigious event.”
The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards 2012 will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel, London on May 8 and celebrate the highest achievements in the world of classical music.
“It is particularly pleasing that a Yorkshire choir and orchestra have together enabled this beautiful work to be nominated for such a prestigious award, demonstrating once again that the Huddersfield Choral Society remains a vital force in the cultural life of the UK,” Jenny added.
“It was a very memorable evening, with the audience palpably involved and moved to rapturous applause at the end. We wait with bated breath for the results to be announced on May 8.”
See Huddersfield Choral Society join the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra’s 150th anniversary concert at Huddersfield Town Hall tomorrow, Saturday, April 28. Tickets are £10 to £20, with discounts, from the Town Hall Box Office on 01484 223200.
