The Colne Valley Male Voice Choir was officially formed at a meeting held at Slaithwaite Liberal Club on May 8th 1922. A year earlier, Mr Hervey Haigh, secretary of the Colne Valley Mixed Vocal Union conducted by Jere Buckley, had got together with friends from the valley to make up a male voice group meeting on Friday evenings. The choir which sprang from this background in 1922 elected to rehearse on Monday evenings and that has been the practice ever since. Another resolution at the first meeting was that the choir should compete in an open air music festival at Gomersal on July 15th 1922. Conducted by Hervey Haigh, the choir was placed fourth. The choir was soon giving concerts at local places of worship, in the Liberal Hall and in Marsden Park.
Delay brought change of heart
At the annual meeting on January 1st 1923, the choir came close to disbandment, but a decision was held over until three outstanding engagements had been fulfilled. The delay brought a change of heart and three weeks later it was decided to carry on, with Mr Clarence Roberts as president. On July 7th that year the choir took second prize at Thornhill (Dewsbury) and the following week won first prize (the princely sum of £7) and the conductor's baton at Batley. A year later, under deputy conductor George E Stead, the choir was awarded first prize and the challenge cup at West Ardsley. This partnership between conductor and choir was cemented on September 1st 1924, when Mr Stead was appointed conductor, and by the time of his death, 44 years later, Mr Stead had conducted the choir in scores of concerts and contests, winning over 50 first prizes.
First Broadcast
The years 1931 and 1932 were lean times in competitions, but in January 1932 the members travelled to the BBC Studios in Manchester for the choir's first ever live broadcast. Competing in the Ikley Musical Festival of 1934, the choir tied for first place with that famous Lancashire choir, Colne Orpheus. The two choirs were to have some real battles, but off stage were great friends. Four first prizes in 1935 included the achievement of another of Colne Valley's ambitions by beating the Holme Valley Male Voice Choir under their highly reputed conductor, Irving Silverwood. Holme Valley was at that time probably the best male voice choir in the country. The distinguished adjudicating panel - Dr Armstrong Gibbs, Sir Hugh Roberton, Dr Herbert Howells and Dr Staton - really sat up and took notice when, instead of having a chord struck on the piano as all other competitors had done, George Stead quietly sang the chord out of his head. The Blackpool Musical Festival took place a week later and again Holme Valley had to settle for second place after Colne Valley. Colne Valley went on to win at Blackpool for six years running - a record that still stands to this day.
In 1936 the choir competed in musical festivals at Huddersfield, Southport, Ilkley, Lytham, Blackpool and Sheffield and won them all. Blackpool test pieces in 1937 included Wagner's "The Holy Supper of the Apostles" - an extremely difficult work, but one which George Stead summed up as "just up our street". Much has been written about this 64-page test-piece with first and second choirs, the Apostles and voices from above. It is a truly monumental work. When it came to the day, several choirs withdrew, owing to the difficulties of the piece. Colne Valley won clearly. On behalf of the adjudicators, Dr Howells said they could not understand how any choir could maintain pitch throughout the first 40-page unaccompanied section.
Charity Audiences
On Sunday, November 28th 1937, hundreds were turned away from two musical services held at Golcar Baptist Church. "The Apostles" was the attraction which caused the chapel to be packed to what was reported to be a dangerous capacity. It was the first time ever that spontaneous applause had been heard at the church. A few weeks later in February many were also turned away from Huddersfield Town Hall when the 50th Mrs Sunderland entries included Colne Valley, Holme Valley, Colne Orpheus and Nelson Arion. Though gaining 90 marks in the preliminary round, Nelson did not get into the final and it was Colne Valley who won by five points over Holme Valley and six points over Colne Orpheus. Dr Tysoe, the adjudicator, said that the singing of Colne Valley was "stupendous".
A run of 10 first prizes in succession was ended in May 1938, when old friends and rivals, Colne Orpheus, under the direction of Luther Greenwood, narrowly beat Colne Valley into second place. The following month at Lytham, the choir won first prize, the Challenge Supreme and the Kenham Cup for the third year in succession. They went one better on October 31st, by winning the Blackpool Festival for the fourth successive year. Marks of 93, 95, 94 and 95 meant that they beat Felling by 20 points.
Perhaps surprisingly, it was not until March 1939 that the choir gave the first concert of their own promotion in Huddersfield Town Hall, with the well known baritone Denis Noble as soloist and Charles Ellam as solo pianist. The last big competitive success of the decade came on May 13th 1939 in the new style North of England Musical Tournament in the City Hall, Newcastle. After Felling had been beaten by five points, the adjudicator was particularly enthusiastic about Colne Valley's singing of "Sing Unto God" (Judas Maccabeus), saying that never before had he given 95 marks in a competition. At a general meeting on September 5th 1939, just two days after the Second World War had been declared, it was nevertheless unanimously decided that the choir should carry on. As a result the choir took part in many wartime charity concerts locally and in Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley, raising considerable sums of money for a variety of causes, albeit with much reduced resources due to members’ war service.
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On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the decision was taken to carry on as far as was possible with rehearsals. Despite wartime restrictions and the absence of some members in the Services, Colne Valley Male Voice Choir took part in many charity concerts and musical services, both locally and as distant as Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley, raising upwards of £3,000 for various funds. The biggest setback the choir sustained during this period was the call-up to war service of George Stead early in 1944 and it was not until August 1946, on his return, that the choir was able to get back to normal.
During his absence the brunt of the rehearsal and local concert work was undertaken by Harold Lumb, the deputy conductor, while for the
annual Huddersfield Town Hall March and October concerts, guest conductors were engaged, notably Leslie Woodgate, Herbert Bardgett and
Alfred Higson. Mr Higson was the conductor of the
Manchester CWS Male Voice Choir and a friendly rival competitor of the choir on many occasions.
Among the guest artists appearing at the concerts in this period were such well known singers as Heddle Nash, J Henry Cummings, Roderick Jones and pianists Moura Lympany, Nina Milkina and Shulamith Shafir.
Silver Jubilee Celebrations
On Mr Stead's return and with the resumption of competitive musical festivals, the choir entered at Blackpool in November 1946. They were successful once again in being awarded the first prize, thus continuing where they had left off in 1939, making it effectively five wins in succession. The March 1947 Town Hall concert was celebrated as the choir's Silver Jubilee concert. Appearing with the choir were Kathleen Ferrier (contralto) and Cyril Smith (piano). It was an outstanding success, the Town Hall being filled to capacity with an enthusiastic audience. Included in the choir's programme was Wagner's "The Holy Supper of the Apostles" and Brahm's "Alto Rhapsody" with Kathleen Ferrier as soloist. The concert was also noteworthy for the first public performance of a composition by Mr Stead - "A Song of Thanksgiving" - a setting of Psalm 46, dedicated to the members of Colne Valley Choir "with grateful thanks for the safe return of our men from HM Forces". This setting subsequently turned out to be the first of several works by Mr Stead for the choir, mostly based on psalms, which were destined to be published and widely acknowledged as masterpieces of male voice choral writing.
A Notable First
Despite the immediate post war win at Blackpool, the run of successes in the competitive field was not to be maintained at the major competitive festivals during the remainder of the 1940s and through the 1950s. In July 1947 the choir entered the first Llangollen International Eisteddfod and were placed sixth. Nevertheless, being drawn first to sing on the day in that competition, the choir will always hold the distinction of being the first male voice choir to sing at Llangollen.
Though being successful in Blackpool in 1948, disappointments were encountered at the Welsh National Eisteddfod at Rhyl and with fifth place in the finals of 1951 Festival of Britain held in London, though an isolated win at Blackpool was recorded in 1954. Much of the credit for keeping the choir going through what was a critical phase, during which new members and new voices were needed, must go to George Stead, who nurtured what he had with care. He pursued a policy that kept interest alive and so made it more attractive for the new singers.
Wide Acclaim
There were two outstanding highlights in the 1950s.
Firstly the performance of Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex" at the Leeds Festival in 1953 with the London Symphony Orchestra and soloists Peter Pears, Frederick Dalberg, Helen Bouvier,
William McAlpine, Bruce Dargavel and Geoffrey Lewis under the baton of Joseph Krips.
The choir's performance of this work received wide acclaim from critics in the press and must rank as one of their greater achievements.
Then, over Easter in 1957, with some trepidation the choir made its first and very successful visit
abroad to Essen as guests of the Schubertbund choir. The Colne Valley men were made most welcome, being generously
entertained by their hosts with sightseeing tours, receptions and in private homes. The two concerts given by the choir in the
magnificent new Saalbau complex and a local church were much appreciated.
It was for this visit that a very young man named Keith
Swallow came with the choir as accompanist and solo pianist. He has remained with the choir ever since and his partnership with Mr Stead and succeeding conductors, together with his musicianship, greatly enhanced the choir's performance.
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Flower power and the Swinging Sixties - and the decade of the second great flowering of the Colne Valley Male Voice Choir.
Excellence was the keynote
The first great period was played out on a national scale and culminated in
that unmatched string of successes in the 30s and 40s at the Blackpool Festival, then the top competitive musical festival in Britain.
The second took place in a truly international arena, with the choir triumphing over worldwide competition at the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen. In the 60s and 70s the choir sang nine times at Llangollen and won four first prizes (with a hat-trick of wins in 1960, 1961 and 1962), three seconds and one third, with time also to take first prize at the inaugural Teesside International Industrial Eisteddfod in 1966. Several of these prizes were won with the settings of psalms composed especially by George Stead for that purpose.
Truly Outstanding
The chief opposition during these years came from university choirs from the United States, the teachers' choirs from the Eastern European countries (then behind the Iron Curtain) of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Poland and some excellent choirs from Italy. The Colne Valley choir was so outstanding during these years - truly Europe's leading male voice choir - that only international competition was adequate. Excellence in all parts - especially rich basses, warm baritones and a splendidly robust set of first tenors, plus what George Stead called the "salt of the earth", the often neglected second tenors.
George - as everyone called him - was in his vigorous prime, conducting other choirs such as the Huddersfield Vocal Union and chorus master of the Bradford Festival Chorus (where he would always take his place among the basses for the actual performance). He had recently returned to the Blackpool Festival, where he won the bass solo competition, and had been awarded the MBE for his services to music, when he suddenly died in his chair at home at the early age of 68 to the shock and horror of the choir. His funeral at his beloved Golcar Baptist Chapel, where he had been choirmaster for almost the whole of his adult life, was a moving affair, with many of the Colne Valley men in tears while singing the chorus from Finlandia.
Specialities displayed
One was always aware of how far ahead George was in his vision of what might be achieved by the choir - and how far short of that vision it fell. Tone (especially consistency of tone from top to bottom of the choir), blend and tuning were his specialities. He used very small gestures when conducting, aiming to get the choir to feel and act with unanimity. He was an amateur and his amateur taste could sometimes irritate adjudicators. The choir had bad results as well as many good ones and George was always philosophical about results, whether winning or losing.
George Stead came at the end of the amateur tradition - the end of the time when opportunities for even a really talented musician to make a career in music were very limited indeed and for a chorus-master virtually non-existent. His successor, John Gulley, appointed in 1969, was in a more modern mould. A man of the West Country, John had originally studied law but switched to French horn and conducting. At the time of his appointment he was a senior lecturer in music at what was then the Huddersfield Polytechnic (now University).
Ongoing Success
An able all-round musician, equally at home with bands and orchestras,
John held the choir together very well. Under him it reached its great size, with 92 singing members.Competition successes continued, notably one outstanding first prize at the Cardigan Eisteddfod in 1971 and another at the
Pontrhydfendigaid Eisteddfod in 1977, plus two entries at Llangollen, which yielded second and third prizes.
Commercial recordings, some with excellent brass accompaniments arranged by John, continued to be made. Repeated visits to and from Solingen in Germany and to the non-competitive music festival in Besancon in France in 1975 were made and still a very high level of achievement was maintained, even if the sheer competitive supremacy of the Sixties had faded somewhat.
In 1978 Ronald Hill was made the first ever Life President of the choir for his outstanding services. Firstly as a singing member then, as Secretary 1945 – 1953, President 1953 – 1958 and 1964 – 1978. Though vacating the committee chair he continued to attend and contribute positively to meetings until his death four years later.
After eleven years John Gulley decided that musically he had done all he could and tendered his resignation in 1980, which was accepted with regret. Through all this time from 1957 to the present, the single most brilliant asset of the choir has been its accompanist, Keith Swallow, of national and international renown. When Keith puts the first note down the adjudicators sit up and take notice, knowing that here is something exceptional. His contribution to the success of the choir is immeasurable.
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Innovative Period
The early 1980s were relatively lean years in terms of membership numbers. In late 1980 Nicholas Powell took over the baton from John Gulley, and in July the following year led the choir to a 2nd prize at Llangollen. This heralded an innovative three years of groundwork that was to serve the choir well in later years. Increasing commitments as a senior voice tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester caused Nick to stand down in 1983 and it was John Gulley who returned for a further six year spell. Also in 1983 a consultant surgeon at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Geoffrey A Bunch, became President. Not only safe and sound hands in the operating theatre but also used extremely capably as a pianist. On several occasions in this period, the choir took advantage of his musical talents both in concert and competition when Keith Swallow was unavailable. Membership numbers rose, due not least to the attractions of a singing tour in California in 1984. Many friendships were established with 11 concerts being performed in a 15 day tour, travelling in two Greyhound coaches with overnight accommodation being provided by American families in ten Nappa Valley stops from San Francisco to Los Angeles. One memory which will never be forgotten, while the choir were in Martinez, was the lunchtime occurrence of an earthquake with its epicentre based 30 miles away and which measured 6.2 on the Richter scale, the most severe in the area since 1911. That very same evening the local Martinez newspaper’s review of the previous evening’s concert was headed “English choir’s sonorous tone moved the earth”. There had been another unusual experience in 1983 when Nick Powell conducted the choir in a choral competition at Lindenholzhausen, Germany, with a festival marquee temperature rising well over 90 degrees. It was like singing in an oven!
In 1989 Colne Valley chose as its conductor a ginger haired 23 year old Oxford University graduate, Thom Meredith. From the outset his musicianship, patience and affable personality established a popularity which has led on to high respect both within the choir and in ever widening musical circles. As a then member of the staff of Colne Valley High School, Thom made a great contribution to younger people's enjoyment of music, something close to his heart and which he continues today. As well as all else for the male voice choir, the Opus 44 ladies' choir which his wife, Lynn Hudson, conducted with great success at that time, established a mutual admiration society.
Musical Milestones
Competitively, and just four years into Thom’s conductorship, a top ranking achievement in 1993 was the choir’s success in winning the Northern Male Voice Choir Championships in Newcastle, closely followed by the National Male Voice Championship title in Huddersfield. Three years later the choir became the first male voice group to take the overall Prize Winner’s Challenge trophy for all choirs competing in the Mrs Sunderland Musical Festival.
During this time Colne Valley also reached the televised final stages of the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year Competition.
In 1997 and in its 75th anniversary year the choir came second at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod but greater honours were to come the following year. In 1998 1st prize was achieved at the Pontrhyfendigaid Eisteddfod in May, 1st prize at Llangollen in July and 1st prize at the National Male Voice Choir Championship at Rhyl in October. It thus became the only choir to accomplish the superb double of the Male Voice Choir of the World and the National Male Voice Choir Champions in the same year. In 1999 the Male Voice Choir of the World title was successfully defended with yet another win at Llangollen but in 2000 the choir had to be satisfied with 4th place. However, in four consecutive years at Llangollen competing against UK and international choirs the choir’s honours read - 1997 2nd, 1998 1st, 1999 1st, 2000 4th, almost replicating the successes of the early 60s there.
Continuing Tradition
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Colne Valley was privileged in
continuing to enjoy Keith Swallow's brilliance as accompanist and regular soloist. It was a happy coincidence that the 75th anniversary
year coincided with Keith's completion of 40 years with the choir.
Notwithstanding the demands for his services as soloist and accompanist throughout the country, not to mention broadcasting and recording,
Keith maintained unwavering loyalty to the choir.
One member summed up the choir's feelings when he said - "I get more than the value of my subscriptions just from listening to Keith". In the later years of this period Philip Baxter became Keith's deputy as rehearsal accompanist, allowing his predecessor, Brian Shaw, to assume the position of deputy conductor.
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The choir entered the new Millenium in as good heart as at any stage in the whole of its history. Membership around the 85 mark was well distributed among the four parts. Quite exceptionally, in an age when choir after choir has struggled with a shortage of tenors, the choir’s first tenor section reached an all time record number of 23. Rehearsal attendance has hovered around the 85/90 per cent mark, summer and winter alike.
Even today there is no complacency, however, and in fact a recruiting campaign is to be waged very shortly. In part this is in recognition that some of the older members find the increasing travel to concerts and competitions further afield rather demanding. The broader aim, however, has been the opening up of the singing ranks to talent from a wider area and currently several members travel from the likes of Bradford, Halifax, Oldham and Wakefield. The reality now is that a car journey of 20 miles takes no longer than what were previously walking distances from the fringes of the Colne Valley, involved in earlier decades.
Gone are the days when local chapels and churches provided reliable replenishment of singers. It is interesting to note, however, that alongside the long-standing tradition of dual membership of church choir and Colne Valley MVC membership, there has emerged in recent years a tendency of singers toward membership of more than one male voice choir. The Colne Valley choir has always contained a number of Huddersfield Choral Society members - and this continues to be the case - but over the last 10/12 years or so there has been an increasing representation in the Colne Valley ranks of members who have decided to take on a second male voice choir. Happily this has not diminished good relationships with the choirs concerned - principally those of Saddleworth and Skelmanthorpe.
Competition work continues
In the early part of the new millennium competition success continued at the Mrs Sunderland Musical festival with several 1st and 2nd prizes, with the highlight again being the winning of the Prize Winners’ Challenge in the year 2000, replicating the win in 1996. In 2001 the choir entered the Male Voice Choir Class at the Blackpool Musical Festival for the very first time since 1957 and returned with the top prize and in a trip to Northern Ireland in 2003 a creditable 2nd prize at the Coleraine International Choral Festival. At Llangollen the outstanding successes of the late 90s were unable to be sustained when entering in 2000, 2003 and 2004 with the resulting placings of 4th, Joint 4th and 5th respectively.
Travel and Concert Highlights
An overseas visit to France was made in 2000 and the choir joined in the Sunday morning Mass in Rouen Cathedral. The choir was sanctioned to sing in the Latin text - Kyrie, Sanctus, Post Elevationem and the Agnus Dei from Liszt’s Mass. These were followed by O Sacrum Convivium and Domine non sum Dignus. Then came two excellent concerts in the Cathedral of Chartres and Montevilliers Abbey. Organist Darius Battiwalla had been invited by the choir to partake in the French tour and performed magnificently in solo items and in choir items requiring organ accompaniment.
In the same year the choir was invited by the Lions Club to perform at a concert in York Minster with the Band of the King’s Division, Waterloo.
In February 2002 the choir appeared in concert at the Preston Guild Hall with the Leyland Band conducted by Richard Evans, at the invitation of the Rotary Club of Preston Amounderness. In April the choir were travelling again, this time to Croydon, South London, as invited guests of The Central Band of the Royal British Legion and its Musical Director, Capt Ted Whealing. The concert programme in the Fairfield’s Hall was shared with the Band and performed to a capacity audience of 2000 plus. Later that year and St Georges Church, Clifton Village, Nottingham was the venue. This concert is to be repeated in 2006 in a return invitation by the organisers.
Preston Guild Hall was again the venue in February 2003 in a repeat invitation by the Rotary Club. This time it was with the Fodens Richardson Band, but the conductor was once again Richard Evans. In December the choir crossed the Pennines again to the Guild Hall as privileged guests of the Houghton Weavers with whom they shared the musical programme.
In early 2004 it was the choir’s own concert in Huddersfield Town Hall that furthered the choir’s policy of musical encouragement to young talent. The choir of Halifax Young Singers were the invited guests, conducted by Thom Meredith’s wife, Lynn Hudson. In addition was the extraordinary and superb musical talent of two local 16 year old instrumentalists, Matthew Neville, clarinet, and Richard Uttley, piano. Just a few weeks earlier Richard had appeared in the ITV televised programme “Britain’s Brilliant Prodigies” and was declared “Best Young Instrumentalist”.
In July 2004 the choir again took to the road with a charity concert in Matlock on behalf of the Leukaemia Research Fund, Derbyshire Division, and the invitation for a second concert at the same venue has already been received.
The year 2004 ended with a Christmas concert at St John’s Church, Knaresborough following a repeat invitation to sing there. Just one week earlier had been the Choir’s annual Christmas concert in Huddersfield Town Hall with Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band and Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart as compere.
It seemed to be generally accepted as having been the best Colne Valley Christmas concert ever…. and there have been some ‘good uns’ in the past. Band, Choir and all concerned received a spontaneous full standing ovation at the end of the concert. The Band’s conductor? …. Oh yes, it was that man again Richard Evans.
2005 proved to be another successful year for the Choir which is in a rich vein of form at the present time. At the end of April the Choir spent a memorable long weekend in the southwest taking part in the Cornish International Male Voice Choral Festival. Colne Valley were top British choir being placed a creditable second to the winners, Riga University Choir from Latvia. In addition the Choir sang to capacity concert audiences in Truro Cathedral on the Friday evening and at Bude on the Sunday evening. This followed a very enjoyable 30 minute
sing earlier that day in the massive Temporate Dome of the Eden Project. The whole trip was most enjoyable, not least from a social point of view and the fact that the superb hotel base for the Choir and supporters was in Newquay directly overlooking Fistral Beach with perfect weather to match.
In October Colne Valley swept the board at the Biddulph Music Festival near Stoke-on-Trent, organised by the Biddulph Male Voice Choir. It is a friendly competition, where choirs meet as much to enjoy each other's singing as to compete. The Choir won the Male Voice class and the Open Choral Recital class and Thom Meredith won, deservedly, the BMVC Challenge Trophy for best conductor. Just as satisfying as winning the prizes was hearing the audience reaction - the enthusiastic applause and the enthusiastic comments afterwards. Isn't that word 'stunning' the highest praise a male voice choir can receive ? Needless to say, the Choir members were in good and high spirits on the coach home and certainly didn't mind the late hour return. Making his public singing debut with the Choir at this event was new baritone member, Lennart Ploen from Hamburg, Germany. A 17 year old young man with a fine voice, currently studying in Huddersfield.
Sandwiched in between these two competitions were two memorable concerts. Keswick's Theatre by the Lake may only hold just less than 400, but what appreciation that capacity smaller audience showed to the choir on the Saturday night of the August bank holiday weekend. The Choir were alone on the platform and sustained the whole concert in also providing compere, soloists and even ‘stand-up comedians’. The warmth of the evening just increased as the concert went on, and not least owing to the solo playing by the Choir’s star accompanist, Keith Swallow. At the end, it was felt very strongly that the audience just didn't want to let the Colne Valley singers go. Hopefully we will be invited to return.
The Choir visited Matlock on September 17th, where at the repeat of the 2005 invitation by Stuart Flint, the Choir took part this time in a Charity concert in aid of the Derbyshire Region Leukaemia Research and the Wirksworth Care Centre Project. It was once again a thoroughly enjoyable evening alongside fellow guest artistes The Thoresby Colliery Band. Thom and Lynn Meredith’s 14 year old son, Harry, augmented several of the Choir’s items with his work on percussion - Well done and thank you, Harry. At this concert Stuart Flint announced reluctantly that after many years of organising concerts for Charity he and his family were to retire from this very worthwhile activity. The Colne Valley Choir wish them all well and everything good for the future.
December 11th brought the Choir’s Christmas Festival Concert at the Town Hall with Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band and “Dick the Stick” *, Richard Evans, at the helm again, fresh from their 14th victory at the 29th Brass in Concert Championship. Kirklees Borough organist Gordon Stewart, invited by the Choir for a second time, was a thorough and amusing compere with an organ solo to match and also joined the Choir and Band to end the first half with “The Holy City”. An absolutely full 1100 seat audience gave both Choir and Band items an exceptional reception with a spontaneous standing ovation to end the concert. The Concert was recorded and, following the successful CD of the previous year’s concert, another one is to be produced for sale later in the year. Keep an eye on the Choir’s Recordings page for announcements in subsequent updates.
* “Dick the Stick” is the title of the book written by Richard covering his life in music.
One week later saw the Choir joining Marsden Band in a further Christmas flavoured concert in the full St Bartholomews Church, Marsden. In addition to each group’s individual items and carols with the audience, the Choir joined the Band in “Let there be Light”, “The Holy City” and Gordon Langford’s “ A Christmas Fantasy”. A slightly colder Church than normal due to boiler heating problems but the warmth of the music making (and the warmth generated literally in the physical participation by Band, Choir and Audience in “12 Days of Christmas”) more than made up for this and the audiences reception of items and at the finale certainly confirmed that.
2006
The events of the year started off in early February with a charity concert in Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield with Colne Valley joining the Halifax Young Singers conducted by Thom Meredith’s wife, Lynn Hudson. This was a superb concert to a very full and appreciative audience, the kids in their chosen choir items expressing themselves to the full with wonderful youthful exuberance yet retaining remarkable control under Lynn’s direction. This was very much reflected in their very effective “Dry Bones” offering. The two Choirs came together for a most enjoyable concerted finale with the young singers interspersed among their ‘slightly’ older counterparts. The proceeds of the concert amounted to the magnificent sum of £2450, going to the very worthwhile cause of Kirkwood Hospice in Dalton, Huddersfield.
The last Saturday of February saw the Colne Valley Choir once again at the Mrs Sunderland Musical Festival in Huddersfield Town Hall and what a full day that was. The morning session started well for the Choir with first prize successes in the Male Voice Choir Class and Kirklees Choir (over 45 voices) Class. Colne Valley was also acclaimed best overall Choir in both the over and under 45 voices Kirklees Choir Classes, with the award of the Joseph Hancock Trophy. In the afternoon’s Open Choir Programme Class, Colne Valley were second place runners up to a wonderful group of extremely talented young singers in Oldham Youth Choir, conducted by the much esteemed and, what’s more, very likeable Eileen Bentley. The evening’s Gala Concert also held the final competitive class of the week long Festival – The Choir Prize Winners’ Challenge, open to winners (or invited runners up where appropriate) of seven of the Festival’s Choir Classes. The Colne Valley men certainly pulled out the stops to turn the tables on the young Oldham singers by taking the Festival’s top choral prize and being presented with the Jessie Jameson Centenary Baton. The result of the competition was 1st Prize - Colne Valley Male Voice Choir, 2nd Prize - Oldham Youth Choir, 3rd Prize - Marsh Ladies Choir.
The Choir spent three evenings in March along with
Marsh Ladies, Huddersfield Choral Young Singers and Sellers International Band rehearsing and
recording a BBC Television Songs of Praise programme that was subsequently transmitted in May.
At the end of April Choir members, wives and partners spent a memorable few days in Huddersfield’s
French twin town of Besançon , the Choir last visited there in 1975. Just one of
the many highlights was the concert in the Grand Kursaal in Besançon and the spontaneous standing
ovation from a very appreciative French audience. The next evening
another successful concert was held in L’Eglise de Pin as guests of the Pays de Charmes Choir.
During these concerts as was the case at the earlier Mrs Sunderland Festival each of
the Choir members wore the Mayor of Kirklees 2005-2006 Charity Tie instead of their normal Choir
uniform tie. The ties had been purchased by the Choir members in order to support the Mayor,
Clr Margaret Fearnley in her chosen charities of Kirkwood Hospice and the Laura Crane Trust.
In July and in keeping with the World Cup, the Choir scored
a ‘hat-trick’ – nothing to do with football, just a series of three concerts over consecutive weekends. The first one on 1st July was the seventh Annual open-air ‘Concert on the Hill’
at the Huddersfield YMCA Rugby Sports ground in the company of Honley Male Voice Choir, Lindley Band and soprano Nemone Wilman. On July 8th the Choir made their second visit to St
Mary’s Parish Church in Clifton Village , Nottingham having previously performed a concert there in 2002. This concert was organised by the very good friend and honorary member of
the Choir, Mike Ashton as part of the Clifton Musical Festival. The musical ‘hat-trick’ was
completed on a glorious summer Sunday evening on 16th July with a very successful
concert at the Beltonaires’ 10th Anniversary open–air ‘Concert in the Park’ at Belton, a village just off exit 2 of the M180, close to Scunthorpe. Other guests were Sellers International
Band, Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir, Ancholme River Jazz Band and a vivacious young lady, Alex Parker with her amplified violin solos. Subsequent audience and newspaper reports
of the concert suggested that especial highlights were the several joint items performed by the Choir and the Band. This was Colne Valley ’s first appearance at Belton’s ‘Concert in
the Park’ and just a few days later received a glowing congratulatory letter from organiser, Mrs Joan Biddle with an invitation to the Choir to perform again at next year’s concert.
September marked a return to Keswick at the Theatre by the Lake. The Choir's first visit there, in 2005, had been memorable. Although the theatre is small, holding barely 400, the
audience had more than made up for that with their warm reception and enthusiastic applause. It was just the same this time, too. It was only the Choir on stage, no band or guests.
The Choir provided the soloists, too. In such an intimate venue, it was not difficult to establish, right from the start, a close rapport with the audience. It has become one of the
Choir's favourite concerts.
In November J, Brian Shaw retired from his position as Deputy Conductor of the Choir. Brian joined the Choir in 1961 as a singing and for more than twenty five years has also been
Deputy Conductor. He will continue his Thumbnail image exemplary service by continuing to sing in the 2nd Tenor section of the Choir. The Choir showed their grateful thanks to him
by presenting him with a limited edition ceramic tea pot in the form of a grand piano.
Mid-December saw the Choir busy again. On Sunday the 10th it was the Annual Christmas Festival Concert at Huddersfield Town Hall. This is now a sell-out every year. Once again the
main guests were Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band. What a pleasure it is, not only to hear them perform their repertoire, but also to do joint numbers with them. They are ever musical,
with the full dynamic range. They never drown the Choir out. They know how to accompany 11 years old Lorna Bowers (grand-daughter of Choir’s first tenor Dennis Nutton) was a lovely
soloist in ‘Who is He’ and ‘Walking in the Air’ with 14 years old outstanding flautist Rebecca Robinson providing the obbligato on the latter item. Rebecca also joined the Choir and
Keith Swallow in Bax’s ‘Now is the time of Christymas’. This concert truly is a highlight on the annual calendar.
The Choir showed its stamina by appearing the following evening, Monday the 11th, at the Frontier Club, Batley. (formerly Batley Variety Club) in aid of such a worthwhile cause as
Macmillan Cancer Support. Also performing were Castleford Salvation Army Band and the talented soprano, Angela Rowley. Quite a thrill for all, treading the same ‘boards’ as such famous
international stars as Louis Armstrong, Johnny Mathis, Eartha Kitt, The Bee Gees, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and many more, who appeared on that same stage in the past.
The Christmas Concert at Marsden's St Bartholomew's Church on Saturday 16th December was also very well attended. This time the platform was shared with the much-improved Marsden Silver
Prize (Riverhead Brewery) Band. It seems apt to perform concerts in the valley which gives the Choir its name.
2007
The last full week in February always heralds the annual Mrs Sunderland Music Festival. It always feels like the
Choir's 'local' festival. Far from being a cut-throat competition,
it is more like a celebration of the variety in music. That is not to say that the Choir, or the other performers, take it lightly.
Everyone is unanimous that the standards just keep
rising year on year. All the other participants try their hardest and give of their best throughout a long day, but all the
competitors also take time to give each other credit, where
it is deserved.
The Choir started in the morning with the splendid and dramatic 20th century piece 'The Creation' by Willie Richter and
finished the afternoon spot with John Rutter's modern and rousing
arrangement of 'When the Saints Go Marching in'. In those three daytime competitions the Choir won two first prizes -
Male Voice and Over 45 Voices - plus third prize in the Open Choir
Programme Class.
Then, in the evening, the Choir took part in the Gala Concert, where winners of individual and collective classes are
invited to perform and compete. This is always a wonderful concert,
not to be missed, even if you are not performing till the second half. The Choir sang Karl Jenkins's 'Praise', with unusual modern rhythms, then an all-time favourites, Psalm 126 set
to music by the Choir's popular former conductor, George Stead. The Choir sings this with such conviction that the
audience cannot wait to applaud at the end. A glance at the adjudicator
also showed him beaming with admiration. Maybe the Choir has never performed it better. At any rate it won a very
creditable second place. First prize was won by a choir a little more
youthful than ourselves - Cantores Novae of Sheffield. Friday Night Singers came third.
On Saturday March 24th at Thornhill Parish Church Thom Meredith found himself very busy all evening conducting
both the Choir and “Symphonic Brass” (Brass section from Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra) in individual as well as joint items.
A very enjoyable concert and emphasizing once again the Choir’s encouragement of our local musical Youth. Keith Swallow was
unavailable for this concert and the Choir was extremely pleased to have obtained the services of Ian Buckle as guest accompanist.
The Choir and its supporters spent an extremely successful four days over the May Bank-holiday weekend at the 3rd biennial Cornwall
International Male Voice Choral Festival where 60 Choirs and almost 3000 singers from 11 different countries participated.
Colne Valley performed at three concerts - In the magnificent Truro Cathedral, at Porthcurno’s unique open-air cliffside Minack Theatre,
and then in St Michael’s Church in Newquay where the Choir’s hotel, overlooking Fistral Beach, was based.
Saturday afternoon was reserved for competition in the Hall for Cornwall, Truro and the Choir pulled off the ‘Big One’ by gaining
90 marks for their 12 minute performance to win the large choir class, improving on the second prize position gained at the previous 2005 Festival.
Thom Meredith was presented with the winning trophy and later, at the evening Gala Concert a second trophy was awarded to
Colne Valley as the Festival’s overall best UK choir.
On Saturday 19th May Colne Valley joined Halifax Young Singers, Huddersfiled U3A Choir and Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra in a Charity
Concert on behalf of the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield Town Hall.
In May Keith Swallow reached a musical milestone to which few can aspire. His fifty years as accompanist to Colne Valley Male Voice Choir
was celebrated in style on 21st May with a dinner for 200 people at Bertie’s Banqueting Suite with entertainment being provided
by singers from Opera North. Tributes were received from Choir Patron, Lord Harewood, several musical notaries and
the many friends of Keith and the Choir. Entertainment was provided by artistes from Opera North
The Choir performed at two Open-air concerts in the month July. The first one on 7th July was the eighth Annual open-air
‘Concert on the Hill’ at the Huddersfield YMCA Rugby Sports ground with Honley Male Voice Choir, Lindley Band and soprano
Julia Garbutt who was appearing there for the first time. Julia joined the Choir in the popular and much loved item ‘The Easter Hymn’
from Macagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. This item was repeated with Julia one week later on Sunday 15th July at the ‘Concert in the Park’
at Belton, off exit 2 of the M180, close to Scunthorpe. Other guests were Sellers International Band, conducted by Philip
McCann and amplified violinist Alex Parker. Julia sang solos and two duets with our own Thom Meredith.
This concert though a musical success was spoiled greatly by the atrocious weather all day before the start of the evening concert which
unfortunately affected greatly the ground underfoot and inevitably the size of the audience.
A disappointment for all concerned and none more so than the organisers who had put so much prior work into the event.
On the third weekend of July the Choir travelled to Cleveleys on the Fylde coast and a concert at the Park Methodist church there,
with soloists being supplied from the Choir.
At the General Committee meeting in August Jeff Bamforth became Choir Chairman taking over from Peter Denby at the end of his term.
Committee showed their appreciation for Peter’s excellent work over two very successful and eventful years
On the 22nd September and it was back to the seaside again (well, near enough) with a visit to Poulton-le-Fylde.
The audience in the very full Methodist Church gave a wonderful reception to the Choir’s performance.
We even enjoyed the famous nearby illuminations afterwards.
The Choir’s Annual Christmas Festival Concert at Huddersfield Town Hall on Sunday 16th December and for the
fourth consecutive year their guests were Grimethorpe Colliery Band, this time conducted by Philip McCann.
Lorna Bowers the 12 years old grand-daughter of Choir’s first tenor Dennis Nutton was again invited to sing with the
Choir and was a convincing pickpocket ‘waif’ with a lovely voice in Alan Simmons’ ‘Medley from Oliver’.
In keeping with Colne Valley’s encouragement to youth policy also invited to perform at this concert were Rebecca Robinson (Flute) and Harry Meredith (Percussion).
One week later and the Choir was travelling again, but this time only two miles up the road to St Bartholomew’s
Church Marsden for another very successful Christmas concert with Marsden Band and soprano soloist Elizabeth Boyle.
This Christmas concert seems to be settling into an annual event being the third one in a row.
The Future
Through his influence on music selection, Thom Meredith has kept the choir abreast of today’s modern trends without sacrificing tradition. Indicative of his achievement is the fact that from a library of over 500 pieces, each season’s programme includes an average of 58/60 different items. All are performed without music copies in hand - a practice which Thom instigated on his arrival in 1989 and which has continued ever since. Previously exercised only in competition work, its extension to cover all performances was initially regarded with mixed feelings by choir members, but it has now become fully the accepted norm, an enjoyable benefit to singers and, more importantly, audiences alike.
The choir owes a debt of gratitude to so many of its officers for their various contributions over the years and the choir and all concerned are appreciative of their services. People change however and whilst cherishing the past, we must all look to the future. The continuing tradition and, indeed, future of Colne Valley Male Voice Choir and its singers cannot be better expressed than in the words of the author of the 1972 Golden Jubilee souvenir publication, the late Sidney H Crowther (Playfellow of the Huddersfield Examiner), in a tribute to the choir and its members-
"For them, music is a natural form of expression. It is a quest for sweetness and light, an enlargement of the human spirit. They are true amateurs - and we must remember that that word really means lovers. They sing because they are lovers of song, and it is such a love that is - must be - a foundation of a healthy musical life, if music is to be of the people".