Leeds Male Voice Choir

Leeds Male Voice Choir was founded in 1916 by Thomas Crossland, who was the organist and choirmaster at Stourton Wesleyan Chapel. The choir took its name from Broom Pit in Middleton, Leeds and was known for a time as the Broom Excelsior Male Voice performing for the first time in Stourton in September 1916.^[1] John Hickes was the conductor until 1953, overseeing the name change to Leeds Male Voice Choir in the late 1940s.^[2]

Leeds Male Voice Choir in 1970

In 1962 John Wheeler took the Director's baton and his wife Ursula the accompanist. He was a principal singer at Leeds Parish Church and was also conductor of Batley Male Voice Choir and Phoenix Park Male Choir in Bradford. John led the choir and began a series of exchange visits in 1969 with Dortsfeld Male Voice Choir in Dortmund, Leeds’ twin city in Germany. The choir developed a concert schedule across Yorkshire whilst raising funds for local charities. The choir took part in many music festivals across Northern England.

In 1970 Leeds Male Voice Choir featured as part of the '1000 Voice Choir', accompanied by the Black Dyke Band which was recorded for Stars on Sunday on ITV, the choir also featured on the accompanying album issued in the same year. In 1971 the choir took first place at the Robertshaw Music Festival in Bingley. In 1974 the choir made a TV appearance on Hughie Green’s Opportunity Knocks.^[3] In 1978 the choirs first album was released featuring some of the traditional male voice repertoire.

Between 1987 and 1994 under the direction of Nigel Wears the choir increased in size and scope performing in 1988 and 1991 in the ‘Thousand Yorkshire Voices’ concerts in The Royal Albert Hall in London. Brass band accompaniment came from both Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band and Sellers International Band.

Between 1994 and 2004 the choir was directed by David Burnett, who maintained a busy and popular concert schedule throughout the city again returning to the Royal Albert Hall to perform in the 1,000 Yorkshire Voices concert.^[4] Michael Grant was the conductor between 2004 and 2013 in which time the choir maintained a busy local schedule and continued to support local charities.

In October 2013, led by Will Prideaux the choir hosted the Sing For Heroes concert, gathering men from throughout the city to perform in Leeds Town Hall in aid of the charity Help For Heroes and were joined by Peterborough and Gledholt Male Voice Choirs. The concert drew in new members and expanded the size and quality of sound of the choir.^[5] The year closed with a sell out concert of Christmas favourites in the Holy Trinity Church, Leeds, joined by the women's choir, Peterborough Voices.^[6]

2014 started with the appointment of a new Musical Director Tim Knight,^[7] Principal of the Yorkshire College Of Music and Drama, and invitation from the Ilkley Round Table to perform at their annual Ilkley Beer Festival in February.^[7] In June The Best Of British took place in front of record audiences at Leeds Minster featuring songs from around the British Isles and marking of the anniversary of the First World War.^[8] This was followed in December by The Spirit of Christmas in which the choir performed a programme of carols and festive favourites with the Songbirds in Leeds Minster.

2015 featured a new recording in Russian in March.^[9] and the Hollywood Heroes concert in June, celebrating legendary leading men from the movies to a sell out audience at Morley Town Hall with the Phoenix Concert Band.^[10] In December the Choir performed The Spirit of Christmas at Leeds Cathedral.

By 2016 the choir was recognised for diversity of membership and varied and divergent repertoire with membership supported by recruitment events open to all.^{[11] [12]} Leeds Male Voice Choir will celebrate one hundred years of singing in Leeds with a gala performance in Leeds Town Hall with Rothwell Temperance Band and The White Rosettes in September 2016. ^[13]

References

External links

• Leeds Male Voice Choir