Now we are into December it’s time to look ahead to see what festive musical treats we have in store in the run up to Christmas Day.
As usual people are spoilt for choice with everything from folk and classical through to Jack clambering up a beanstalk at the LBT.
Here’s a list of many of the events being staged around here.
Wednesday, November 29 to Saturday, January 27: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at West Yorkshire Playhouse. This major new production sees West Yorkshire Playhouse’s 750 seater Quarry stage transformed into a 1,000 seater theatre in the round.
Saturday, December 2: Vocal Expressions Ladies Choir and Slaithwaite Band in concert stage a concert called Countdown to Christmas at Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Street, Huddersfield at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 (incl refreshments) from 07885 911947 or 07980 541044.
Saturday, December 2: The Huddersfield Singers present Christmas Fantasia at St Paul’s Hall on the Huddersfield University campus at 7.30pm. The programme comprises Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit, Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Gardner’s Cantata for Christmas. This will be the choir’s first concert with Daniel Gordon as conductor and the organist will be Alan Horsey.
Sunday, December 3: Yorkshire-born folk singer Kate Rusby celebrates the release of her new Christmas album Angels & Men with a special festive show at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax at 7.30pm.
Sunday, December 3: Overgate Hospice Choir will be singing carols under the 30ft Christmas tree at the Piece Hall in Halifax between 1pm and 2pm to coincide with the start of the Christmas Market.
Monday, December 4: Lunchtime Organ Concert by organist
Gordon Stewart at Huddersfield Town Hall at 1pm: A programme of music for Advent features Carter’s Toccata on Veni Emmanuel, Noel Rawsthorne’s Fantasia on Wachet Auf! and, representing Yorkshire, Andrew Carter’s Toccata. American composer Garth Edmundson’s famous Toccata on Von Himmel hoch draws the concert to a sparkling close. Tickets are £5.
Wednesday, December 6: Halifax Choral Society sing carols with Black Dyke Band at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax, at 7.30pm. The concert will also feature Rastrick High School Chamber Choir and percussionist Harry Lewis. The conductors will be John Pryce-Jones and Nicholas Childs.
Thursday, December 7 to Sunday, December 10: Santa’s Mixed Up Martian for children under 6 at the Victoria Theatre Green Room Bar.
Thursday, December 7: Honley Ladies Choir join forces with
Kirkburton flautist Simeon Wood to celebrate the start of the Christmas season at St Paul’s Church, Armitage Bridge. The programme will have something for everyone, traditional, modern, classical, popular, with one or two surprises and the opportunity to sing a carol. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets, which include refreshments, are available from www.honleyladies.org or 01484 307189 priced £9 adults and £5 children.
Friday, December 8 to Saturday, January 6: Jack and the Beanstalk panto at LBT.
Friday, December 8: The Chicago Blues Brothers are back at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford with brand new festive show Jingle Blues at 7.30pm. A powerhouse two-hour song fest in the form of Chris Hindle as Jake and Gareth Davey as Elwood, backed by a phenomenal seven-piece live band. Tickets are £25.50.
Friday, December 8: Showstopper Productions are staging Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Cleckheaton Town Hall from December 8-19. Tickets £12 and £10 concessions from Kirklees town hall box offices (01484 225755) or from Showstopper Productions on 01924 412224.
Friday, December 8: Huddersfield Choral Society is teaming up with the Black Dyke Band for its Christmas concert mostly featuring carols. It will also feature Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choirs conducted by Alison North and the organist will be Neil Taylor.
Saturday, December 9: Kirklees Choir (formerly the Huddersfield U3A mixed voice choir) Christmas concert starting at 2.15 pm at Moldgreen United Reformed Church in Moldgreen.
Saturday, December 9: Honley Male Voice Choir are teaming up with Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band at Huddersfield Town Hall for a show called Christmas With Honley at 7.15pm. Dr Paul Whittaker will do sign language for the deaf and hard of hearing at this concert.
Saturday, December 9: Brighouse and Rastrick Band’s Christmas Concert at Central Methodist Church, Commercial Street, with a 2.30pm matinee featuring music students from Brighouse High School and a 7.15pm evening performance featuring just the band.
Saturday, December 9: Huddersfield based acapella group Far Cry will be holding their Christmas concert to help raise money for a Holme Valley group of creative older people. Far Cry, run by renowned local singer/songwriter Jenny Goodman, will be presenting a heart-warming evening of Winter Songs at Holmfirth Parish Church at 7pm. There will be an opportunity to join Jenny’s singing workshop between 2pm and 5pm on the same day and possibly even perform on the night. All the profits from the concert will go towards local group, Holme Valley Sharing Memories, which is made up of people in their late 70s, 80s and 90s who work on a range of intergenerational creative projects with other groups. Tickets are £7 (£6 concessions) and for the afternoon workshop £20 (£12 concession). Or for both events it costs £25 (£16 concession). To book contact Sally Brown on 01484 968551 or mobile 07950 870864 or email sally-brown@btconnect.com.
Saturday, December 9: The final show in the 2017 concert programme at the Paramount will be A Compton Christmas Cracker featuring festive music and mirth with Andrew Nix and Kevin Grunill at the Compton organ being joined by the Thurlstone Brass Band. Advanced bookings on 07944 566972, 01226 767532, at the Paramount box office or pay on door. It starts at 2.30pm.
Sunday, December 10: Holme Valley Singers and the Holme Valley Orchestra are collaborating for a special Christmas concert at Holmfirth Civic Hall at 4pm.
Sunday, December 10: Colne Valley Male Voice Choir performing the Magic of Christmas with the UK’s number one brass band Brighouse and Rastrick at Huddersfield Town Hall at 7.15pm. Colne Valley Boys will also be performing.
Sunday, December 10: Members of the vocal group Cantorelli will be giving two performances of their Christmas Charity Concert including carols and readings in Hebden Bridge at Hope Baptist Chapel at 2pm with a collection for Todmorden Food Bank and at Blackshawhead Chapel at 5pm with a collection for Together We Grow, the local charity which aims to promote the social and emotional wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees in our area. More information is at www.cantorelli.co.uk .
Sunday, December 10: The Clayton West based male voice choir, Hobsons Chorus, is again inviting the Penistone Ladies Choir to be their guests at their Christmas concert this year. Both choirs are directed by Jane Hobson who will also be singing solo items and the ladies will also be providing some instrumental pieces. The concert at St John’s Church, Upper Denby, starts at 7pm. Tickets are £7 including mince pies and other refreshments and are available from 01484 865021 or on the door. Proceeds from the concert will be in support of church funds.
Monday, December 11: Lunchtime concert called the Brass Band Christmas Spectacular with Huddersfield University Brass Band performing a programme of music old and new with carols for all to sing at Huddersfield Town Hall at 1pm. Tickets are £5
Tuesday, December 12: Orchestra of Opera North will be at Huddersfield Town Hall for The Snowman and Cinderella, accompanying Raymond Briggs’ cherished animation on the big screen with Howard Blake’s enchanting score. Narrator John Savournin opens the evening with Prokofiev’s Cinderella Suite, full of mystery and atmosphere and accompanied by spellbinding illustrations. The concert starts at 6pm. Tickets cost £13 for adults and £6 for children aged 16 and under.
Wednesday, December 13: Brass Band Christmas Spectacular at Dewsbury Town Hall at 1pm featuring the University of Huddersfield Brass Band. Tickets are £5.
Thursday, December 14: Opera North Christmas Concert at Dewsbury Town Hall, the much-loved annual gathering bringing them together with the company’s Chorus, Young Voices, and Children’s and Youth Choruses. Adrian Leaper conducts the massed forces with a seasonal programme including Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Overture and audience carols to close. It starts at 7pm and tickets are £17 for adults and £8 for children.
Saturday, December 16: Honley Ladies Choir will be at Huddersfield Parish Church with guests Meltham and Meltham Mills Brass Band. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets, which include refreshments, are available from www.honleyladies.org or 01484 307189 priced £9 adults and £5 children.
Saturday, December 16 to Sunday, January 28: Billy Pearce, Coleen Nolan and her son Shane star in Cinderella at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford.
Saturday, December 16: Overgate Hospice Choir is teaming up with Hammonds Saltaire Brass Band for its Christmas concert at Halifax Minster at 7pm.
Tuesday, December 19: Huddersfield Choral Society Messiah at Huddersfield Town Hall.
Tuesday, December 19: Mencap Christmas Carol Concert at Waverley United Reformed Church on Waverley Road in Huddersfield featuring Golcar Band. It starts at 7pm.
Tuesday, December 19 to Sunday, December 24: Family Christmas show Beauty and the Beast at Square Chapel in Halifax by Beacon Actors Company which is made up of young professional actors aged 18 to 24. The Beacon Actors Company, named after their collectively favourite place in Calderdale – Beacon Hill, was set up in 2013, originally as the Calderdale Young Actor’s Company.
Thursday, December 21: Lunchtime organ concert at Huddersfield Town Hall at 1pm with Gordon Stewart and the choristers of Wakefield Cathedral directed by Thomas Moore putting on a programme of Christmas music from all around the world. The organ solos include music by Daquin, Bach, Rawsthorne and Cockroft. Tickets are £5.
Saturday, December 30: Viennese Whirl at Huddersfield Town Hall at 3pm. The Orchestra of Opera North brings the curtain down on another year of culture in Kirklees with a traditional musical trip through Austria-Hungary, a glittering world of waltzes, polkas, marches and song. Soprano Jeni Bern makes a welcome return to Opera North.Tickets are £20 and £10 for youngsters aged16 and under.
