Halifax Young Singers is described by Dr Gordon Stewart as "one of the great youth choirs in Britain" and in February won the Youth Choir class at the prestigious Mrs Sunderland Music Festival and also won the Arthur Rooke Trophy for the Outstanding Performance by a youth choir on the day. The Adjudicator, Dr Eileen Bentley, described the Young Singers performances of ‘Gloria’ and ‘Prayer of the Children’, as ‘choral singing of great beauty and musicality’ awarding them an ‘Outstanding’ score for delivering ‘an exceptional performance, both technically and artistically’.

Of our recent performances in the National Festival of Music for Youth the well-respected adjudictors Keith Hewson, Sam Dunkley and Damian Harron wrote "This is a first rate choir who obviously enjoys their singing and performance", "Well done for performing such challenging but fantastic repertoire – this has energy and unlimited enthusiasm – but wonderful poise and assurance – intense focus! Wow!", "This is difficult music, but you meet the challenges with confidence in your abilities", "You slip effortlessly into harmony without losing any power. There is an ease and beauty to your sound throughout." and "This is a high quality youth choir who obviously enjoys the art of performing. I really enjoyed your performance!"

We would be delighted to welcome new members to help build on our success and sing with us. We're having our summer break now and our new season (our nineteenth!) will begin on Thursday 2nd September. We rehearse every Thursday during Calderdale school terms and we extend a warm invitation to new singers to join us for a few rehearsals to see the choir "in action". The Youth Choir, for singers in school years 5-8, meets from 6.45pm to 8.00pm and the Chamber Choir, for singers in years 9 and above, meets from 8.00pm to 9.30pm. Rehearsals are held at Carlton United Reformed Church, Carlton Street, Halifax.

During our new season we are delighted once again to be offering wonderful musical opportunities for members of the choir, and forging further links with young people from musical groups in this area and abroad.

As recent adjudictions show HYS is a group of young people who truly captivate their audiences and is an organisation which brings out the very best in its young singers in so many ways. The quality of the choir’s performances comes from the expert leadership of Lynn Hudson and Craig Cockerill, our Music Team, and from our members, whose enjoyment of their singing is evident to audiences in this country and abroad.

2010-2011 SEASON

Our Autumn Concert will take place at Carlton URC on Saturday 16th October and members of the Chamber Choir will then tour Germany and give three concerts in Gelsenkirchen and Halifax’s twin town, Aachen. It is always lovely to meet up with our friends in both of these areas.

And then Christmas is upon us! On Sunday 12th December the choir will sing in the presence of the Mayor of Calderdale at a Christmas service at the Halifax Salvation Army and on Saturday 18th December the choir will perform in Huddersfield Town Hall with Huddersfield Methodist Choir and Skelmanthorpe Band. On Sunday 19th December the choir will join up again with the Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra at St Paul’s Hall, Huddersfield. A retiring collection will be taken for Kirkwood Hospice and the programme will include “The Snowman” and "Twas the Night Before Christmas", arranged for KYSO and HYS by former HYS member, Tom Lydon.

The Spring term will bring HYS together with our friends in the Calderdale Youth Guitar Ensemble. The two groups perform together under the name of ‘Highly Strung and Far2Vocal’ and will audition for the National Festival of Music for Youth in March. CYGE and HYS have regularly reached the finals and recent adjudications have included such plaudits as “outstanding” and “congratulations, you really choose ambitious, interesting and exciting programmes.”

HYS looks forward to performing at our “home” Carlton URC on Saturday 5th February and to joining with musicians from across Calderdale on Saturday 12th March in Halifax Minster for a very special “Come and Sing” day of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins, supporting Overgate Hospice. The choir will round off a busy Spring term by joining in a National Association of Choirs Gala Concert in Huddersfield Town Hall on Sunday 3rd April.

The choir will present its own Concert for Summer at Carlton URC on Saturday 21st May and look forward to returning to St Mary’s Church, Luddenden for a summer concert on Saturday 25th June.

Members of the Youth Choir will round off the season with their annual informal ‘Sweeties’ Concert on Thursday 30th June.

HALIFAX YOUNG SINGERS - NOW AVAILABLE NEW CD The Young Singers CD 'Halifax Young Singers Live at Carlton' features many of the Young Singers favourite numbers and as it is a live recording really captures the spirit of the choir. The CD is priced just £8.50, including postage and packing. Order your copy of 'Halifax Young Singers Live at Carlton' Now! (340kb PDF form)

A REVIEW OF OUR RECENT SEASONS

Performances by the Halifax Young Singers during recent seasons have been described as:

"outstanding", "life enhancing", "a triumph", "captivating", "spellbinding" and "a collaboration of youth, good music and total enjoyment"

"This was by far the best concert I have heard".

In recent National Festival of Music for Youth heats well-respected adjudicators have said

"This is a very impressive, disciplined and musical choir. Tonality absolutely secure. Your performance of Nova! Nova! was stunning."

"You perform with clear pleasure, class, assurance and quality. Your tone and diction belie your youth."

"An outstanding performance of an outstanding piece"

"Your sound was lovely throughout - the balance was a credit to your maturity as performers."

"Congratulations, you really choose ambitious, interesting and exciting programmes. Here we have a piece composed of traditional singing, vocal and body sound effects and how well you combine them to give a compelling and musical performance."

"Impressively large ensemble. Great stuff! This is a terrific undertaking! Lovely to see you tackling demanding and thought-provoking repertoire! Very well done!"

Dr Simon Lindley describes the Young Singers as "The Jewel in Calderdale's Cultural Crown"