PRESS RELEASE 25th April 2009

 

GLEDHOLT CELEBRATES 60 Years with a MUSIC FESTIVAL IN HUDDERSFIELD

 

Gledholt Male Voice Choir celebrates their 60th Anniversary with a Music Festival  in the Huddersfield Town Centre, on the 9th of May 2008, to coincide with their Annual Gala Concert.

 

The Chairman of the choir Raj Beadle says “We are delighted that we have been able to gain the support of so many local musical groups, in our aim to take music to the community. Last year we raised almost £3,000 towards the charity and we hope to do more this year, even during these difficult times.”

 

The Festival will take place at the Piazza in the Town Centre. Five musical groups will take part in the morning event and two more groups will perform with Gledholt at the Gala Concert in the evening in the Town Hall.

 

The varied musical groups for the morning festival include the award winning Marsh Ladies Choir, The Pathfinders (a 60’s Pop group), West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Pipe Band, Shepley Band and the Fusspots Ceildh Band. A coffee morning at the Old Court House is also being held to support the event.

 

In the evening Gala Concert, The Huddersfield Young Voices, a group of 70 young people, under the leadership of Susan Wilkinson, a well known music educationist in the country will perform with the Gledholt Male Voice Choir.  They will be joined by the Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by another well known and respected musical director, Thom Meredith.

 

This year the music festival is supporting two charities.

Holly Bank Vision Project will provide activities for adults within Holly Bank Trust. Music is essential to this project because it connects people so that they can express themselves and communicate through this medium; for some people music is their first language.

 

Classic FM Music Makers charity whose “aim is to fund music therapy and education projects which help needy children and vulnerable adults across the UK. Classic FM believe that by using the power of music, they can make a real difference to many lives, both young and old.”  

 

Notes to the Editor :

 

  • Performances will take place at the Piazza in the Huddersfield town centre.

 

  • Gledholt Male Voice Choir was formed in 1948, when a group of men belonging to Gledholt Methodist Church formed a double male quartet under the leadership of Joe Ripley and with Marcus Draper as the pianist to sing at local churches, old people's homes, hospitals, etc. Gradually the original double quartet expanded to become, first the Gledholt Glee Singers, next the Ripley Singers for two years, and finally the Gledholt Male Voice Choir. Gledholt Male Voice Choir is one of the leading choirs in Huddersfield and is directed by Susan Wilinson and accompanied by John Bailey.

 

  • Hollybank is a charity with a national reputation for excellence, working with some of society's most vulnerable members - children and adults with complex physical disabilities. These are often coupled with severe learning difficulties.