Colne Valley Male Voice Choir, Yorkshire

The Present

Colne Valley Male Voice Choir certainly has a distinguished history over more than 80 years and the choir is alive and kicking today, its members living a musical life to the full in the 21st century.

First and foremost we are a performing choir, for without performance we would not exist. Yes, we enjoy rehearsing, but those hours of pleasurable hard work are for a purpose.  It is, after all, about sharing the joy of music and singing for an audience and that really gives us the most pleasure.

2009

At the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival in Huddersfield Town Hall the Choir won the Male Voice Choir Class and the Kirklees Choir Class (Over 40 voices)

Once again the Choir were extremely pleased to take part in the biennial Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival but this time solely as an invited guest ‘Show’ Choir. This involved taking part in a Workshop/Master Class led by MD, Thom Meredith as well as Gala Concerts held over the days of the May Bank Holiday weekend. Following the Choir’s success at the previous Festival in 2007 Thom had accepted an invitation by the organizers to be an adjudicator of a Composition Class for the 2009 Festival. In view of Thom’s involvement the Choir decided to return to the Festival as Champions but chose not to defend their title and enter the competition event. The weekend was a great success both musically and socially. Convivial friendships being made with members of other attending choirs.

On Saturday 9th May the Choir again assisted in the Golcar Lily Day celebrations by performing an hour's long afternoon concert at St John's Church. Saturday 6th June saw a concert at a new venue for the Choir at Stones Methodist Church, Ripponden. The Choir sustained the whole programme with solo items by Choir members Matt Houston, David Hirst and piano duettists Philip Baxter and Rodney Pearson. Thom Meredith took the the other solo spot

At the annual open air Concert on the Hill at Huddersfield YMCA Sports ground on 4th July with several programmed items reflecting the American Independence Day. Along with Honley Male Voice Choir and Lindley Band, Colne Valley performed there for the 10th consecutive year. The three 'regulars' were joined for the first time by invited special guests, the BBC award winning Children's Choir, Lindley Junior School Choir and local Soprano Julia Garbutt was making her third visit to the Hill. In her second half set she was joined by Thom Meredith in the duet “All I ask of You” from Webber's Phantom of the Opera – and if the audience reception were any guide - one of the highlights of the concert.

On July 19th for the fourth consecutive year the Choir enjoyed once again their visit to Belton, North Lincs. for the Concert in the Park there. Hepworth Band was making its second visit to Belton whilst Julia Garbutt and saxophone soloist Rhiannon proved to be excellent co-artistes. In view of Thom Meredith's concert tour to Italy with the Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra the Choir on this occasion was conducted extremely competently by James W. Morgan. Keith Swallow had been taken ill the day previous to the concert and the Choir's rehearsal pianist, Philip Baxter stepped in at extremely short notice to ably accompany the Choir.

On 22nd August the Choir with Thom back conducting was joined by Dr. Simon Lindley (Piano and Organ) and Phillip McCann, Cornet virtuoso for an extremely successful and well attended concert at the Queen Street Methodist Central Hall in Scarborough. Everyone was pleased that Keith had recovered from his illness and back accompanying the Choir At Lindley Methodist Church on 19th September the Choir and Choir soloists performed a worthwhile charity concert to a full Church with all proceeds for 'Action for Children' raising £1400 for the Charity. One week later and the Choir was 'back on the road' when travelling to Poulton le Fylde for their third concert in four years in the Methodist Church there. All agreed it was a very successful concert to a wonderful receptive audience.

The Choir soloists were the same as the week previous at Lindley - Matthew Houston, Raymond Ellis and Thom Meredith. Accompanist Keith Swallow and the Choir's rehearsal pianist Philip Baxter performed a piano duet.

On to the Christmas period and this year the Choir welcomed Brighouse & Rastrick Band to the Choir’s annual Christmas Festival Concert in Huddersfield Town Hall on Sunday 13th December. The Band was conducted by Alan Morrison and the Compere was Borough Organist Gordon Stewart.

The Choir ended the concert year once again in Marsden Parish Church on 19th December with Marsden Sliver Prize Band and mezzo-soprano, Rowena Burton.

Concerts

On average 10 to 12 concerts are performed each year.  A percentage of these are our own concerts, where we are responsible for arrangements and finances, whilst at others we are invited guests of concert organisers.  These may be repeat invitations to perform at venues previously experienced by the choir or new contacts and venues.  All are equally enjoyable and it is such a pleasure to make new friends in music and to receive heart-felt thanks from our hosts.

We sing a great deal in and around our local West Yorkshire area at concert halls, town halls, especially that of Huddersfield, in churches, chapels and outdoor venues - you name it. We do travel, but mainly in the northern half of the country and prestigious venues include York Minster, Harewood House, Fountains Abbey, Preston Guild Hall.  A little further afield has seen the choir at the Fairfield Hall in Croydon and not forgetting the Royal Albert Hall, London.
 

Shared Platforms

Very often the concert platform is shared with guest soloists, orchestras and other musical ensembles and in many cases, of course, a band.  As we are based in West Yorkshire, where there is such a strong banding tradition, it is usually a brass band and this can mean from those of local villages to national ones of premier award winning status.

Sometimes we do perform alone, but even then we are fortunate to be able to call on a number of extremely capable vocal and instrumental soloists from within the choir and even a raconteur, all adding variety to an already varied musical programme.

We are particularly excited about working with local youth talent.  Such opportunities are frequent nowadays.  As well as being hugely enjoyable for all concerned, it is a chance for us to encourage youngsters as they embark on their musical careers.
 
 
 

Repertoire

We sing from a wide repertoire and we are always looking to increase it.

It includes traditional and folk song mainly from Great Britain but can also extend to those of other countries and sung sometimes in their original language

Sacred Music - inevitably we draw on this rich vein, many items of which are so suitable for a choir which can draw on such powerful resources.  These are mainly shorter items, but we have tackled longer and full works like Liszt's Mass and Wagner's The Holy Supper of the Apostles

Operatic Choruses and pieces by classical composers from the 15th century to present day

Modern Song - items from musical shows and popular items.  We do try to keep up to date with both serious and popular composers and we have been known to give premieres

There are almost 600 items of music in the choir's library.  On average 60 different pieces of music are sung annually in concert, all without the aid of musical notation.  Music copies are strictly for rehearsal only.  Our computer based records show that in the previous decade alone 200 different songs have been performed by the choir in concert and competition.  Since 1960, when tangible and computer retrievable library records were started, astonishingly 540 different items have been performed, any of which can be related to a particular concert since that time.

Trips abroad

As we say, music is for sharing. It also breaks down barriers. We are fortunate enough to receive invitations from abroad. There have been many memorable tours, notably California USA, France, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) and several exchange visits with German Choirs, the first of which was in 1957/58. A particularly strong bond was made with the members of MGV Solingen Wupperhof, a male choir from the knives and scissors manufacturing town of Solingen. Since the first visit there in 1965, there have been a further three exchange visits with this choir and several friendships made then as twenty and thirty year olds are still retained today.

In a tour to Northern France in 2000 we performed in several major cathedrals, including those of Chartres and Rouen. The Choir's first visit to France in 1975 was to the Musical Festival held in Huddersfield's French twin town of Besançon. The Choir again visited there in the Spring of 2006. performing a memorable concert in the Grand Kursaal in Besançon to a very appreciative French audience and a second concert in L'Eglise de Pins as guests of the Pays de Charmes Choir.
 
 
 

Competitions

Throughout the choir's existence, competition work throughout the country has featured strongly in its activities, none more so than when competing at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen since its inauguration in 1947.  The choir's proud prize record there in 22 appearances over the years in the Male Voice Choir Class shows a tally of six first prizes, five second prizes and two third prizes with consecutive wins in 1960,1961,1962 and 1998,1999.  Further competitive successes over the life of the choir can be viewed under full Choir History - Festival Successes.

TV and Radio

Several broadcasts on radio have been made, as well as appearances on television, including a recent BBC 'Songs of Praise'.

Recordings

Over the years several recordings have been made which cover different periods of the Choir’s existence from 78s, through vinyl LPs to Cassette Tapes and CDs. Recent CD recordings have been "light & easy Colne Valley”, “Sacred Colne Valley" with Marsden Band featuring many well-loved hymns and sacred songs, and live recordings of the 2004 and the 2005 Christmas concerts at Huddersfield Town Hall with Grimethorpe Colliery (UK Coal) Band. These and others are available direct from the Choir (See Recordings Page).

Digital enhanced CD recordings of original vinyl LP records of the Choir from 1968 and 1970 have recently been professionally re-produced and these are available on a special value double CD from commercial record outlets and the internet.

Social Life

Most members would say that the Choir is a very important part of their lives. We tend to be very dedicated.  They would also probably say that it is where they have many friends and lifetime friendships are common.  Trips and Social Events help bring us together in a common bond and wives and partners are also encouraged to enter into the life of the Choir in full.

So, to the pleasure of singing and performance must be added great camaraderie, surely the best prize asset of the Colne Valley Male Voice Choir.