Overview
Founded in 1836, Huddersfield Choral Society has an international reputation as the UK's leading choral society, producing a unique and thrilling full-bodied ‘Huddersfield Sound’ from over 200 voices.
The repertoire includes both oratorio and religious music, contemporary and commissioned works. The choir’s professional colleagues are: conductor laureate Martyn Brabbins, chorus master Joseph Cullen, deputy chorus master Darius Battiwalla and vocal coach James Ashworth. Rehearsal accompanist is Daniel Gordon and deputy accompanist Malcolm Hinchliffe.
Subscription Concert Season
The Huddersfield Choral Society’s busy schedule is centred on its own subscription concert season in Huddersfield Town Hall, including of course annual performances of Messiah. The choir also visits other major concert halls in the UK and abroad, regularly broadcasts for BBC radio and television, and has a long history of pioneering recordings.
Recent Highlights
The choir undertook three overseas tours in the summer of 2007. During Easter week (11-14 April) the choir sang two concerts in Brno Cathedral, Czech Republic, as part of the Brno Easter Festival of Sacred Music. On 25 April a contingent of 40 voices visited Antwerp for a performance of Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra under Phillippe Herreweghe. Then there was a visit to Osaka, Japan, 30 July - 6 August for a further performance of Britten's War Requiem with Takuo Yuasa.
Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited Huddersfield on Thursday 24 May 2007. The visit ended with a walkabout and a choral farewell performed by Huddersfield Choral Society and the Orchestra of Opera North to an audience of 10,000 in St George's Square, Huddersfield. In the evening, the choir was invited by Kirklees Council to take part in an outdoor People's Prom - a free concert featuring Huddersfield Choral Society and the Orchestra of Opera North, with soprano soloist Linda Richardson. This also attracted an audience of 7,000 people.
The choir recorded a new Hymns Album in Huddersfield Town Hall in January 2006. This is now available from Signum Classics as SIGCD079. This was followed by a new Carols Album, recorded in Huddersfield Town Hall in January 2007 and released by Signum Classics in summer 2007.
The Huddersfield Choral Society promotes three Subscriber concerts each season in Huddersfield Town Hall. Tickets for these are sold in advance, and there is a waiting list for seats. Choir members can purchase gallery single season tickets, subject to availability.
The Society also promotes other public concerts – including two Christmas concerts and a public Messiah – and is invited by other organisations to take part in concerts in Huddersfield and elsewhere. Click on the concert dates button to see the planned dates.
Please contact the Subscribers’ Secretary, for details of ticket availability for all concerts, inclusion on to the Subscribers waiting list or Supporters list (which ensures automatic mailings of our newsletter and details and applications forms for all our public concerts).
Peter Sunderland, 5 Woodside Lodge, Storthes Hall Lane, Farnley Tyas, Huddersfield, HD8 0PD, Tel 07792 591119
email the Subscribers Secretary
