Singers of all ages have a single voice

by Hilarie Stelfox

HUDDERSFIELD, UK — It’s said there are more choirs in this
country than fish and chip shops – and numbers are growing all the
time. HILARIE STELFOX reports on the choral phenomenon and meets
the members of Huddersfield’s latest all-ages vocal ensemble

WHEN music teacher Alison North advertised for members of a new
community choir in Lindley she was astonished by the response.

She explained: “We put out 80 chairs – and that was optimistic
we thought – but in the end 120 people turned up. It was
amazing.”

That initial taster session in early May was no flash in the
pan. Every Monday evening since then, the hall at Lindley Junior
School has been packed with enthusiastic singers of all ages from
four-years-old to 65 and beyond.

Children, former pupils, teenagers, parents and grandparents
have turned out to share the experience of singing together.

The Huddersfield area has always had a strong choral tradition,
but communal singing is also a growing modern
phenomenon.