. . . a much loved and greatly respected lady
A deeply moving funeral service took place in Halifax Parish Church on Thursday 5th June 2008 to celebrate the life of Halifax Choral Society’s former Honorary Administrator, Mrs Shirley Whitehead, and to mourn her passing. Poignant tributes were paid to her on behalf of family, former teaching colleagues, and Halifax Choral Society. The music, led by members of HCS, conducted by John Pryce-Jones and beautifully accompanied by Darius Battiwalla, comprised congregational hymns and music which Shirley herself had chosen for the service before her death: Requiem Aeternam from Verdi’s Requiem; Kyrie from Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius; In Paradisum from Faure’s Requiem. The Angel’s Farewell from Gerontius was played on the organ as the funeral cortege left the church. It would be hard to envisage a more touching and appropriate service for this much loved and greatly respected lady, who had worked so tirelessly for the Choral Society for over forty years.

 
Performances to be proud of!

. . . outstanding concert in a glowing acoustic

Concert 18th April 2008 Halifax Parish Church

The wonderful ambience of Halifax Parish Church provided the ideal context for Halifax Choral Society’s latest concert on Friday 18th April, which featured requiems by Luigi Cherubini and Gabriel Fauré. Rarely performed in Britain, the Cherubini was given an electrifying rendition, with its every nuance from terror to tenderness vividly captured in glorious singing by the chorus, enhanced by the crystal clarity of the church’s acoustic. The choir was equally impressive in the Fauré, ably accompanied on the church’s organ by David Houlder, the society’s principal accompanist. Bass soloist John Filsak, also a member of the choir, seemed to match perfectly Faurés own requirement for ‘a soothing bass baritone with something of the precentor in him’ with his secure, expressive singing. The lovely Pie Jesu was assigned to 13 year old treble soloist, Oliver Binns, a member of Halifax Parish Church choir, whose lovely, unaffected performance was ideally suited to this intimate work. Conductor John Pryce-Jones can be justly proud of the work he has done with Halifax Choral Society, and can be assured that their prowess will be enhanced when they perform the same programme along with the Carlow Choral society in the Republic of Ireland in May.

What next?
For more detail of forthcoming events click here.

Well deserved recognition for John Pryce-Jones. . .

The recent successes of the choir and their return (in the words of the Yorkshire Post) to major league status are due in no small part to the energetic leadership of their conductor, John Pryce Jones who, in addition to being conductor of HCS, is also Music Director of Northern Ballet Theatre, and North of England Concert Orchestra.

In Yorkshire
John has already won recognition of his work from Huddersfield University who awarded him an honorary doctorate for services to music, and in particular his work with young musicians.

                                            In Wales
Further recognition came from John's native Wales this summer, when The 123rd exhibition of the Royal Cambrian Academy (the Welsh Academy of artists and sculptors) included a newly sculpted bust of John created by RCS member Diane Lawrenson. The exhibition, held in the Academy’s home in Conway, North Wales was opened by Rolf Harris who in his opening speech revealed that both he and his wife are of Welsh parentage.

John Pryce-Jones has recently returned from a busy summer schedule which saw him running an International Conductor’s Masterclass in Italy and conducting the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra in Northern Ballet Theatre’s production of Peter Pan in the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music. Next month he is due to record the score of Peter Pan with the orchestra of Northern Ballet Theatre.