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The Formation of the Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir

During 1985, members of the Huddersfield Choral Society were preparing for the Choir’s 150th anniversary the following year. Exposure was planned on television, radio and in the press – locally and nationally, culminating in a live televised performance of Verdi’s ‘Requiem’.

As people celebrated the Society’s glorious past, the thoughts of one member turned to its future. Committee member, David Crowther, who sang bass in the choir, wondered where the Society would be in twenty or thirty years’ time. Fewer schools and churches had choirs, and many young people over the age of eleven never experienced singing as a pleasurable activity. It seemed to him that one answer lay in the establishment of a youth choir in Huddersfield under the auspices of the Choral Society. So he decided to offer to form and administer such a choir. His first task was to find a musical team both capable and willing to share the responsibility. Living in Leeds meant that, although he had sung with the Society for fifteen years, there were only a few fellow-singers whom he knew really well. Two of these were Kenneth Rothery and Beth Sharp.

Kenneth was well-known throughout Huddersfield as a conductor of repute, while Beth ran the (then) Kirklees Education Authority’s Children’s Choir. Moreover, for some time, Beth had been wanting Ken to start a youth choir so that her singers could progress when they left the Children’s Choir at twelve or thirteen. Being extremely busy, Ken had always refused previously. However, they agreed to hear David’s proposals and a meeting was held at Beth’s cottage in Honley in September 1985.

The establishment of a Youth Choir was agreed in principle, but the rehearsal night initially proved a stumbling block. Beth preferred Wednesday, after her Children’s Choir rehearsal, in order not to encroach on another evening. Ken, however, kept Wednesdays for his choir rehearsals at Parkwood Methodist Church. It then transpired that Ken could only realistically manage Tuesdays without sacrificing one of his other musical commitments. Beth agreed with reluctance to give this arrangement a try.

Next, David outlined his plan to attract 100 singers in order to offer the experience of singing in a large ensemble, as preparation for life in a choral society. Ken and Beth doubted whether such a large number was attainable, but David asked for twelve months to prove it was. Agreement was made that rehearsals would start one year later in September 1986 with the possibility of a concert early in 1987.

David’s next task was to persuade his colleagues on the Choral Society committee to allow the project to proceed. The committee listened to the proposals and were extremely supportive, encouraging him to go ahead. Finally came the task of recruiting a choir.

The launch was very high-profile. Leaflets went into schools, posters were everywhere, the Huddersfield Examiner and Yorkshire Post gave generous coverage; Radio Leeds conducted interviews; members of the Choral Society who were teachers cajoled young people in their schools. Of course, the direct link with the Choral Society was most advantageous and brought applications from all parts of Huddersfield. Nevertheless, during the first eight years of the life of the Youth Choir, one third of the singers came from outside Huddersfield – including, especially, many fine young tenors and basses.

David can still recall the thrill when, early in February 1986, he received the first application forms. Two arrived in one envelope from Caroline and Nicola Moulson. The dream was becoming reality.

Throughout the spring and early summer of 1986, the pile of application forms grew steadily as young people committed themselves to what was still only an aspiration. Knowing that September was still a long way off, and fearing some would-be members might lose interest, David decided to visit each applicant at home. Armed with a street map of Huddersfield, he travelled from his home in Leeds in the evening after work or at weekends. During these visits he was able to meet potential members and their families and outline in greater detail the plans for the choir.

Meanwhile it was decided in principle to allow only members of the Choral Society to assist in the running of the choir. Some parents queried this, but it was felt this arrangement ensured both continuity and unanimity of purpose. In the event, almost twenty adults helped the choir in various ways in the early days.

A choir age-range of 13-20 years was decided upon, though these limits were imposed with some fluidity. It was also determined that only a nominal annual subscription would be charged to ensure no young person was denied the opportunity to sing for financial reasons.

Ken, Beth and David decided it would be useful to invite prospective members to an informal meeting. Those who did not know Ken would then meet him and there could be an exchange of musical ideas. So in June 1986, over sixty of the eighty-or-so who had expressed an interest, came together in Waverley House, New North Road to meet the adults – and each other!

Waverley House was to be the Choir’s rehearsal room, and despite the odd ‘H’ shape of the main room, was a very good venue. Rooms were available for sectional rehearsals and St. James’s Highfield, United Reformed Church, who owned the facility, allowed the choir to house music there.

Meanwhile, David had another meeting which was to prove crucial in the life of the Youth Choir. David Armitage, then Managing Director of Sellers’ Engineering Company in Chapel Hill, and his wife Carol, expressed a keen interest in the project. They invited David to meet them and outline his plans. As a result, David Armitage, on behalf of his company, offered to invest a substantial amount of money annually to ensure the choir’s early and continuing prosperity. In fact, it would be true to say that without this injection of capital, especially in the first year or two, the Youth Choir would have struggled financially. Other sponsors and supporters came along later, notably Nigel Pratt, Managing Director of Nichol and Pratt. Ltd. of Meltham, but David and Carol Armitage undoubtedly made the Youth Choir financially secure at the outset.

As September 1986 drew nearer, the magical number of 100 potential members was reached, with over sixty girls and almost forty boys enrolled. Rehearsals began on Tuesday 2nd September and as the young singers crammed into the room, the atmosphere was electric. First Ken took them through some easy vocal exercises, then a few simple rounds. At last, the choir, gaining confidence all the time, gave full vent to ‘Jerusalem’. Afterwards, when comparing notes, Ken and David both spoke of the huge thrill that moment had given them.

Over the coming weeks, the choir prepared diligently for their first concert at the end of January 1987. Jonathan Newcombe and David Hartley took sectional rehearsals with the young tenors and basses. David, in particular, was to be a tower of strength in this capacity for years to come.

Some of the young people had previous experience of part-singing, others fell into it easily because of their innate musicianship. The most gratifying successes, however, were those young people with little or no previous knowledge or skill, gradually realising what pleasure choral music had in store.

St. Paul’s Hall, Huddersfield, had been booked for the inaugural concert because, at the time, the eventual size of the choir was unknown and St. Paul’s was deemed adequate. In the event, the concert was sold-out weeks beforehand and in order to supply demand, had to be repeated just over a month later. This repeat concert was also sold-out which led to the bold decision that future Youth Choir concerts would move from the 400-seater St. Paul’s Hall to the splendour of the 1200-seater Huddersfield Town Hall.

The Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir was truly established and grew within three years to a peak of 140 singers, 80 girls and 60 boys, - the largest youth choir in Britain. Many other choral societies nationally were inspired to copy, but Huddersfield had led the way.

D.C.