Ilkley Choral Society start the new season on Monday 4th September at Christchurch on The Grove in Ilkley and potential new members are invited to attend and join in.
There will be two open rehearsals on Monday 4th and Monday 11th September from 7.30 – 9.30pm, giving people a chance to join the choir as a guest singer and discover how rehearsals are held and find out more about larger scale choral works.
Light refreshments will be available from 7.00pm, when you will have the chance to meet members, Officers and the Musical Director, have a chat and find out more about the society. You are then invited to join the choir as a guest singer for the remainder of the evening, when music will be provided.
Ilkley Choral is a non- audition choir but potential members would be expected to pitch accurately and have a basic sight – reading capability. All voice parts are welcome, but especially tenor and bass.
If you think you would like to become a member after the open rehearsals, and feel that the level of musicianship suits you, you would then be welcome to join as a full member. Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings at Christchurch.
Ilkley Choral Society is the town’s largest classical choir, and performs all concerts with Otley Choral Society, making a singing strength of around 120 voices for performances in St. Margaret’s Church Ilkley, and Otley Parish Church. Two concerts per year are usually performed at each venue.
A spokesperson for Ilkley Choral Society said: “Our first concert of the coming season is on 18th November in Ilkley, and we will be rehearsing an exciting choral work which is rarely heard live, or indeed on sound media. Ethel Smyth (1858-1944) was an English composer and a member of the suffragette movement, whose most familiar work is her opera “The Wreckers”. Her MASS IN D premiered in 1893, but it has never been a regular item on the choral repertoire, so the Society is proud to bring this work to Ilkley, possibly for the first time.
“Other works to be performed this season are: Handel’s “Messiah”, J. S. Bach’s “St. John’s Passion” and Mozart’s “Mass in C min – The Great”.
“Please do come along and meet us at the Open Rehearsals where you will receive a warm welcome.”
For further information email please secretary@ilkleychoral.org.uk