A much-loved local choir is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a special concert in Huddersfield this month. Huddersfield Voices will mark eight decades of song on June 20, with a performance at Almondbury Parish Church.
History of the Choir
The group originally began life in June 1946 as the Huddersfield Methodist Choir. It all started when the BBC invited local Methodist Church choirs to join together for a broadcast of "Sunday Half Hour" on the Home Service. By December 1946, a massive group of 400 people assembled to perform The Messiah in the Town Hall. This spectacular performance became the first of an annual event that lasted for many years.
Over the decades, the choir has shared many adventures, including singing on a train in 1988 for an edition of Songs of Praise. The talented singers have also traveled across the world to exchange visits with choirs in North Carolina in the USA. The group changed its name to Huddersfield Voices in 2011 to reflect its growing membership and changing musical tastes.
Current Leadership and Special Guests
Today, the choir is led by Stephen Muir, who is a well-known musician in the North of England. Stephen is supported by deputy Angela Griffith and long-standing accompanist Malcolm Hinchcliffe. The upcoming anniversary concert will feature everything from classical favourites by Vivaldi, Haydn, and Handel to popular folk songs. Former musical directors Alan Brierley and Richard Quarmby are even returning to conduct their own chosen pieces. They will share the stage with soloists Verity Quarmby and Sam Blagbrough, alongside several former choir members who have returned just for the occasion.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the wonderful evening cost £10.00, which includes refreshments. You can buy tickets at the door or book them in advance by calling Chris on 01484 522843. The concert takes place at Almondbury Parish Church, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
