Harrogate Choir Festival will take place this Saturday (April 13).
Eight choirs are preparing to participate in this year’s festival at the Royal Hall in Harrogate.
The event showcases choirs from Harrogate and the surrounding area. During the evening, each choir will perform songs of their choice before coming together on stage for a finale.
The choirs taking part are The Stray Notes, The Daytones, Harrogate Male Voice Choir, Knot Another Choir, Love Pop Choir, St John Fisher’s Junior School Choir, The Skipton Choir and Yorkshire Voices.
Royal Hall, Image: Jim Counter
The first choir festival took place last year at Harrogate Theatre. The event is moving the larger Royal Hall this year to enable more choirs to take part. There are also plans to add a matinee performance next year.
The festival is being hosted by The Stray Notes, a Harrogate-based community choir, and is the brainchild of its musical director, Elizabeth Linfoot.
Elizabeth Linfoot
Ms Linfoot said:
“We have so many amazing community choirs in and around Harrogate. My aim was to unite them under one roof to celebrate the power and joy of singing together, so it’s wonderful to see how the festival is growing each year.
“Being part of a choir has been proved to be good for people’s health. Among other benefits, it improves breathing, as well as promoting better physical and mental health, not to mention the social and emotional connection with other choir members.”
The event starts at 7pm on Saturday April 13. Tickets from £12.50 are available here.
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Ex-serviceman who lost his legs in IRA bombing finds therapy in Harrogate choir
An ex-serviceman from Knaresborough, who was a victim of an IRA attack, has spoken of how singing has been his therapy after a career in the military.
Andy Mudd served in the The Royal Military Police for 18 years after joining up aged 18. He served in Germany, Ireland, London, Cyprus, and Lebanon.
While in Colchester with his wife in 1989, a bomb planted by the IRA exploded under their car.
Mr Mudd said:
“Luckily, my wife was only slightly injured.
“I, unfortunately, lost my right leg from the hip and the left one above the knee. I also lost two fingers on my right hand. But we survived!”
Despite his disability, Mr Mudd continued his work for his corps – serving seven years in a wheelchair — until 1996. He was awarded a British Empire Medal and was mentioned in Dispatches for his work.
After leaving the military, Mr Mudd joined the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association (BLESMA), where musician and choir-leader Gareth Malone scouted a group of singers to perform at the Invictus Games in Florida, in 2016.
It was then that Mr Mudd discovered his love for singing.
He added:
“I eagerly joined, although not singing since my days in the choir at Saint John’s Church, Knaresborough, in the 1970s.”
The group, which was named the Invictus Games Choir, also sang and recorded ‘Unbroken’ by John Bon Jovi at the world-renowned Abbey Road Studios.
From there, Mr Mudd went on to sing with the Help for Heroes Choir and Take That at the Royal Variety Show, as well as at The Royal Albert Hall and Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Harrogate Male Voice Choir with the Ryelarks Choir.
Mr Mudd and his partner, Joyce, moved back to Harrogate last year and he quickly discovered the Harrogate Male Voice Choir to continue his singing journey.
He said:
“I was warmly welcomed into the 2nd tenor group and have been thrilled to sing with this fine male voice choir.
“Two hours of rehearsals every Tuesday evening fills my heart with joy.
“It’s a great therapy; always learning and producing a great sound.”
One member of the choir, Lawrie Coulthard, told the Stray Ferret:
“Andy is a most welcome addition to our choir.
“Not only having a splendid voice, but his happy persona also adds enormously to our friendly atmosphere at rehearsals and concerts.”
The choir, which was formed nearly 55 years ago, now has around 50 members and sings a variety of musical genres.
It has performed at a range of venues, from village churches and castles, to stately homes and even The Royal Albert Hall.
Mr Mudd added:
“I have enjoyed it so much and recommend it to anyone who wants to sing.
“Come and join us!”
The choir rehearses every week at Woodlands Methodist Church on Wetherby Road.
Those wishing to join can call 07905515492.
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Six choirs from across the Harrogate district and beyond will be joining forces – and voices – next weekend to perform together for the very first time.
The Harrogate Community Choir Festival, at Harrogate Theatre on Saturday, March 18, will be hosted by the Stray Notes Choir and originated from an idea from the choir’s music director, Liz Linfoot.
She said:
“After a difficult couple of years when choirs were unable to rehearse together and weekly Zoom rehearsals were the norm, Harrogate choirs are once again thriving. This festival is intended as a celebration of singing, and the joy which comes from being part of a choir community.”
The Harrogate Community Choir Festival will feature six local community choirs showcasing some of their favourite songs in a variety of different styles. They are: the Stray Notes, Harrogate Male Voice Choir, Knot Another Choir, Love Pop Choir, Rock Choir, and the Skipton Choir.
Each choir will perform a set of four or five songs and the evening will culminate in a final song with all the choirs and the audience singing together.
Liz added:
“The benefits of singing as part of a group are wide-ranging and scientifically proven, including supporting mental and physical health and building community.
“From shower soloists to music-reading experienced choristers, and from rock to classical music, there is a warm welcome for everyone at a choir in Harrogate.”
The choirs will be raising funds for Wellspring Therapy and Training, this year’s chosen charity of The Stray Notes Choir. Based in Starbeck, Wellspring provides affordable psychological support to people in distress and promotes good mental health through training and education.
The Harrogate Community Choir Festival will be held at Harrogate Theatre at 7pm on Saturday, March 18. Tickets for the event cost £10 (children: £5) and are available online from Harrogate Theatre.
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Harrogate Male Voice Choir returns after two-year absence
Harrogate Male Voice Choir returned on Saturday evening for its first performance in two years.
The choir has existed since October 1969 but members were forced to practice over Zoom during the pandemic.
Members performed at a charity event at St. Mary’s Church, Boston Spa in aid of Martin House Children’s Hospice. They raised £1,050 for the charity.
The choir sang renditions of Amazing Grace, Bring Him Home and In Flanders Fields, among others.
It was the debut of the choir’s new musical director Richard Kay, who has been a member of York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir since 2002. He also sang a range of songs solo during the evening.
Choir member Lawrie Coulthard said:
“It was a wonderful experience for both the choir and audience.
“This was the first time for some years that our performance included solo items – the audience really enjoyed them!”
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Harrogate Male Voice Choir to resume meeting after 18 months
Harrogate Male Voice Choir will resume face-to-face practice tomorrow night for the first time since March last year.
The choir began in October 1969 but members were forced to practice over Zoom during the pandemic.
It will meet at 7.30pm every Tuesday at Woodlands Methodist Church in Harrogate.
Lawrie Coulthard, who has sung in the choir for several years, said Zoom hadn’t been the same.
“You can’t sing all at once. It’s not conducive to group singing”
The choir, which had about 50 regulars pre-pandemic, will welcome a new musical director, Richard Kay.
Covid precautions include ensuring all singers are doubled jabbed.
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Mr Coulthard said he’s looking forward to meeting his friends face-to-face after a long absence. He said the first hymn sung is likely to be Softly and Tenderly.
He added:
“We’re absolutely excited. We’re all going to be a bit rusty but it will be fantastic.
“It’s not just singing, it’s a social event too. It’s a fellowship.”
If you are interested in joining the choir, contact Lawrie Coulthard on 07905515492 or lawriecoulthard@hotmail.co.uk