Newsletter Issue 29

to uphold and continually renew our proud tradition of choral singing

Newsletter Issue 29 Welcome to this spring 2019 edition of the HCS Newsletter Photo: Adrian Lee

The front page photo shows the choir on stage at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool with the RLPO and conductor, Vasily Petrenko, last autumn. It is always a great pleasure to work with Maestro Petrenko and we look forward to meeting with him again in the future. Our second collaboration of 2018 with our neighbours in the Huddersfield Philharmonic came on November 11th, when we had the privilege of singing the Britten War Requiem on the actual centenary of the armistice. Our usual Christmas concert followed and we had the pleasure of Bob Chilcott as conductor and presenter. His warm and friendly manner was appreciated by audience and performers alike, in addition to his talent as a composer/ arranger which led to our including three of his pieces in the concert, added to by a fourth from our youth choir. Our choral director, Gregory Batsleer, conducted the Messiah performances and brought a freshness and vitality that was commented on

by many. The standing ovation on the Wednesday evening was testament to a great performance. During the first months of the New Year, the choir was hard at work on one of the most difficult programmes that it has sung, certainly in recent times. As well as only the third performance of A Celestial Map of the Sky by Tarik O’Regan, where we were joined by members of our Youth Choir, we had the enormous challenge of John Adams’ Harmonium. Whilst not a favourite of everyone, many members of the audience and indeed the choir felt that it was very well performed and many others thoroughly enjoyed it. Included in those are a number of critics who have provided superb reviews of the concert on the internet.

If you check the HCS Twitter or Facebook feeds you will find links to them. We must also pay tribute to the Orchestra of Opera North and conductor, Paul Daniel, for their huge part in the concert’s success.

SPRING 2019

There is much in the offing over the rest of this year; in June we are continuing our outreach programme with another singing day, when we will be inviting people to join us on the afternoon of Sat June 15th in St. Paul’s Hall to rehearse Faure Requiem, which will be performed in the evening concert together with other music sung

by HCS members alone. The season ticket (Subscribers’) ballot has returned to the Town Hall as facilities at Greenhead have become unsuitable and the AGM will follow there in July.

We are pleased to announce that the two CD’s recorded last year, Elgar’s Caractacus (Hyperion) and Hymns Album II (Signum) are now both on sale; these are available at concerts or through the website shop or by contacting our administrator, Phil Hazelby on 07864 591844, or email info@huddersfieldchoral.com Again we are pleased to report that critical reaction to Caractacus has been excellent with superlative reviews in the broadsheets and music magazines and also reaching the upper echelons of the Classic FM charts.

Articles within these pages include another feature on one of our Business Voice members, the usual Youth Choirs page, an article on our restructured committee (fortunately written by John Harman, who has managed, against all the odds, to make it interesting), our Do You Remember items and Malcolm Hinchliffe’s preview of our autumn concert. There is also news of the start of the Huddersfield Choral Society Academy.

I hope that you enjoy reading it.

STEPHEN BROOK

Editor

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HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY ACADEMY The Society is extremely proud to announce the launch of its new academy. Long standing member of the bass section of the choir, Angus Pogson, is overseeing the preparations and the launch of this exciting new chapter in the history of ‘The Choral’, and he writes ….

HCS has for some time been planning to have an academy. We are now delighted to announce that it is to launch in September 2019. The aim of the academy is to encourage singers who would like to build their confidence in all aspects of singing, including singing techniques and musicianship as well as reading a score. The academy will rehearse at St. Paul’s Hall, on the University campus, on Wednesday evenings and will be open to anyone age 18 or over, without audition.

DO YOU REMEMBER...

- 40?

Friday 30 March 1979 Mass in C - Beethoven Four Sacred Pieces - Verdi BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra Mark Elder – Conductor Anne Marie Connors – Soprano Patricia Payne - Mezzo Ian Caley - Tenor Neil Howlett – Bass Malcolm Cruise writing for the Huddersfield Examiner, stated of the Verdi ...

In the first piece, the unaccompanied Ave Maria, the chorus were perhaps at their very best, never failing each instruction of guest conductor, Mark Elder.

The singers clung to his commands and produced the most luscious tone, and the most lovely balance; and at the end, the soft Amen came as but a whisper, perfect and complete. Stabat Mater is sombre as the words suggest, but here, with full chorus and orchestra was a taste of the grandeur to come in the final Te Deum. After the opening words the choir’s brilliant Sanctus was surely the sublime moment of the whole concert.

Ernest Bradbury writing for the Yorkshire Post reported …

The Mass was not without its moments of drama, naturally enough, but Verdi’s music, as in the famous Requiem, smacks of the theatre and calls for a range of styles that was always fully realised. It was certainly well within Mr. Elder’s competence and artistry and excitement was not wanting.

One wondered, also, if he felt some thrill after his successful conducting tour to Australia – or are there choruses in that land to match the one at Huddersfield?

Friends of The Huddersfield Choral Society The usual Friends’ draw for seats as guests of our President at the Christmas Concert was won last year by long time subscribers and supporters of the Society, Andrew and Helen Bird. They thoroughly enjoyed the evening and are pictured prior to the concert with our Friends’ Secretary, Cynthia Pratt and her husband Nigel.

If you would like to know more about the Friends’ organisation and the benefits of membership, please contact Cynthia on cynthiaprattis@hotmail.com

Photo: David Ward

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The academy will be led by Abi Kitching.

Abi is a Manchester based conductor and music facilitator. She graduated with a first class honours music degree from the University of Manchester and is now the musical director of Blackburn Music Society and the assistant musical director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus. She is also musical director of Preston Orpheus Society, Darwin Ladies Choir and The Opera Shack, as well as being a conductor for the Halle Corporate Choir Scheme.

Abi is an active soprano with extensive choral experience, she won the recital category in the prestigious David Glover Festival of singing in 2017. We feel that the academy will be in safe hands.

Paul Dewhirst for the Daily Telegraph wrote of the Verdi ...

Mr Elder drew some excellent playing from the orchestra and, up to a point, the choral response was good, secure except for the Miserere section in the Te Deum, full bodied and mellifluous. But good as it was, it ought to have been better, and I had the feeling that Mr. Elder was not asking enough - especially in dynamic range – of this immensely expert and experienced choral society. Several of the effects that Verdi was especially concerned about went for little. The dolcissimo markings in the Stabat Mater and the colouring of the word ‘pace’ in the Laudi Alla Vergine, to name but two.

Of course the climaxes were thrilling, but given such excellent material it is a pity not to make the most of it.

The Society announces new Honorary Patrons Ed Anderson Ed Anderson succeeded Dr Ingrid Roscoe as Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire on 1st September 2018, and has followed in her footsteps in another way - by accepting the Society’s invitation to become an Honorary Patron.

A qualified accountant, he came to Yorkshire in 1969 to study economics at what is now Leeds Beckett University. He held a number of executive positions in both local government and the airport sector including as executive director at Leeds City Council and CEO of Leeds Bradford Airport. He is Chairman of the Airport Operators Association.

He chaired the Yorkshire Building Society Board for 8 years and is currently Chairman of National Savings & Investments. He is involved with many voluntary sector bodies in the county. He is also a former High Sheriff of West Yorkshire and a former Deputy Lieutenant.

Brian Kay The Society is delighted to announce the appointment of Brian Kay as an Honorary Patron. Brian has a long and successful association with the Choral, as Chorus Master for a decade between 1983-94, and subsequently in a number of engagements including as a popular Master of Ceremonies at Christmas concerts Brian’s working life has been divided between the broadcasting studio and the concert platform. His many presentations for BBC radio have included Brian Kay’s Sunday Morning, and his former BBC World Service programme Classics with Kay reached an audience of millions all over the world. Brian’s television presentations have included the competitions to find the Cardiff Singer of the World and the Choir of the Year, and for fifteen years, the New Year’s Day Concert from Vienna. He has twice won a Sony Award as Music Presenter of the Year, including the coveted Gold Award in 1996.

He was a founder member of the King’s Singers, and as the bass voice in the group performed over 2000 concerts world-wide. A great professional vocalist, he also has a rare talent to communicate with and inspire both amateur and professional singers and has an infectious enthusiasm.

Brian is now Conductor and Musical Director of the Burford Singers, as well as succeeding Sir David Willcocks as Principal Conductor of The Really Big Chorus, with which he regularly conducts massed voices in London’s Royal Albert Hall together with concerts right across the globe.

There are still some choir members who remember appearing under Brian’s direction in the 1987 Royal Variety Performance, perhaps one of the Choral’s more unusual engagements. But then Brian is no stranger to the unusual; some of his proudest boasts are of being the lowest frog on a Paul McCartney single, one of the six wives to Harry Secombe’s Henry VIII, and a member of the backing group for Pink Floyd!

FINANCIAL SUPPORT The Society is deeply grateful to all our Partners, Sponsors and Patrons for the help that they give us to support our work in bringing high quality music making to our town, our country and occasionally, the world. This season we are being supported by: HONORARY PATRONS Ed Anderson, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Dame Felicity Lott Joanne Harris MBE Sir John Tomlinson Alan Titchmarsh MBE Brian Kay PATRONS Elizabeth Crowther OBE Diana Franklin Donald (DL) and Cynthia Haywood Gerald & Christina Sutton Jane and Alan Pridmore Richard Adkinson Brenda Mosley Neil & Judith Charlesworth John and Ann Denham Julie Kenny CBE Martin and Dorothy Littler Wilkinson Building Co. (Leeds) Ltd SS Components Ltd and anonymous patrons CONCERT SPONSORS R Gledhill Ltd Investec Wealth & Investment Brewin Dolphin Wealth Management Bill Currie and friends Julie Kenny CBE The Greenbank Group OTHER CONCERT SUPPORT Helen Marshall Jean Parker OTHER SPONSORS Fantastic Media Williams & Co. BUSINESS VOICE MEMBERS The University of Huddersfield Syngenta Hoyer UK Leslie Country Inns Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd Ramsdens LLP Revell Ward LLP The Sekhon Group Thornhill Estates Harron Homes Ltd Chadwick Lawrence LLP John L Brierley Ltd Huddersfield Giants RLFC Fantastic Media Walker Singleton / Hansons Poppleby & Appleton

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MEET A CHOIR MEMBER - TIM JONES (Bass) Photo: David Ward

He loves the dynamism and energy of rehearsals and is really enjoying the very hard work that we are putting into rehearsals for Harmonium (at the time of interview).

He was also attracted to the choir by the out of town concerts that are a regular part of our seasons. He was thrilled to take part in the Proms last September when we performed the Britten War Requiem at the Royal Albert Hall. The picture shows Tim rehearsing Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast in the Town Hall last year.

Tim is now one of the most committed members of the choir and rarely misses a rehearsal. He told me that he would not have been able to join the choir if we still rehearsed on a Friday. He thoroughly enjoys the 2 ½ hours every Tuesday and when I asked him what he liked most about rehearsals he said Greg Batsleer.

Whether or not the fact that Greg fed him the answer when we were doing the interview is relevant, I don’t know, but I think not.

Membership News

Their devoted service to the Society will be remembered by all who knew and worked with them.

New Members Recruitment has continued at a healthy rate in the past six months and we have admitted nine new members into the Society:

We wish them great success and enjoyment with the Society and hope that their stay with us will be a happy and fruitful one.

Sad Farewells

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We pass on our condolences to the family and friends of former president, Dr. John Hughes who passed away in December, also associate member Richard Ainley in February and singing member Marjorie Norton in March.

Long Service The Society is deeply grateful to all those members who give of their talents over such long periods of time.

They provide a firm foundation onto which those that are able to join us for only a few years can add their valuable contributions.

Only a few weeks ago Christine Broadbent received her 25 year service badge; towards the end of last year Jean Collison, Martyn Crossley (former choir secretary) and Jane Sargent (former president), were presented with their 40 year service badges. At the end of January and in early February respectively, Timothy Lewis and Angus Pogson both received a silver salver from our chairman, Margaret Atkinson, to acknowledge their 50 years of service as singing members.

The pictures show Tim above and Angus below receiving their salvers in the rehearsal hall.

Photo: David Ward

Jemima Churchhouse, Laura Gaworska and Rosemary Hoggart – 1st Sopranos; Nicole Jones and Kate Shepherd – 2nd Sopranos; Rebecca Hayes – 1st Alto; Christopher Ball, Tom Persinaru and Barry Slater – 1st Basses.

Tim has been a great asset to the Society since he joined and we would be delighted to attract more members, especially men, with his ability and enthusiasm. If YOU feel that you fit the bill and would like to audition for the choir, please fill in the application form in the ‘Join Us’ section of the HCS website or email an enquiry to info@huddersfieldchoral.com

Photo: David Ward

Tim lives in the Holmfirth area, where he works in insurance, and has been singing in the choir for just over a year.

A Geordie by birth, he grew up in York before heading over the hills to study music at Manchester University. He continued to sing in Manchester before deciding he should look for a more local outlet for his vocal talent and being aware of the Choral’s reputation, decided to audition, and was accepted, into the bass section.

I asked Tim about some of his favourite music that he would like us to perform and his four suggestions were; Bach – Mass in B Minor, Bach – St. John Passion, Durufle – Requiem and Frank Martin – Mass.

Outlook - set fair The 2018 AGM heralded a number of changes to the Society’s working methods and one of them was a new subcommittee. Now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d write, and I can already hear readers’ collective groan. Dear reader, just bear with me for a minute.

The idea behind the Outlook Sub-committee (for that is its catchy title) is to bring together all our outward-facing activities. So its members include the Society’s officers for Subscribers, Friends, Recruitment, Programme, Publicity and Sponsorship together with some choir representatives.

Other subcommittees - Music Planning, Vocal, Finance - focus on what you might call the core business of the Society, but it has been obvious for some time that “Outreach” is of huge importance to our present and future success; and while, in our established practice, all of the officers listed would submit reports to the main committee, very often there would be little time to consider them in any depth.

Thus we now have a forum in which more attention can be given to how the Society presents itself to its audience, the wider community, potential singing members and the general public, as well as how we contribute to the musical life and education of our region, and our national reputation.

We provide the main committee with an umbrella account of all these activities instead of a battery of separate officer reports, at the core of which is a schedule of agreed action.

And there is plenty in that schedule to occupy us. Our efforts in these first months include: • Preparing for the launch of a Choral Academy in the new season • Building closer ties with the University Music School, including discussions about Choral and Conducting scholarships • Audience development - reaching new audiences in a variety of ways • Review of Ticketing and subscriber service • “Come and Sing” events (with the Mrs Sunderland festival in February, and with the University in June) • Participation in the Kirklees Year of Music 2023 • Production of website and social media video material All of these have required a lot of commitment and I’m enormously grateful to the people involved for their dedication and energy. And it seems that the group has released energy and creativity and a sense of joint purpose, so that Outreach can become truly part of the Society’s core being.

John Harman

DO YOU REMEMBER ... - 25? Saturday 24 March 1994 Overture-Coriolanus – Beethoven Stabat Mater – Szymanowski Mass in C - Beethoven English Northern Philharmonia Jane Glover – Conductor Patricia Rozario - Soprano Margaret McDonald – Mezzo Justin Lavender - Tenor Stephen Roberts - Bass Adrian Smith reporting for the Huddersfield Examiner stated...

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The opening of the Stabat Mater even given the dolorous nature of its subject, is exceptionally bleak and there was clearly a worry that 25 minutes of unrelieved gloom might prove about 24 too many. But as chorus and soloists were to demonstrate, its range is wide and its power cumulative.

Extraordinarily so. It dates from 1924 but sounds more modern in its uncompromising juxtaposition of bold ideas, not least in the Virgo Virginum with its snarling brass, menacing tamtam and disturbing overtones of eroticism.

Under Jane Glover’s direction, the chorus, fresh, vital and full of vim, revealed the work’s personal drama with the English Northern Philharmonia responding to the luminous score with playing that crackled.

Photo: Selwyn Green

The setting of the Mass is rightly regarded as being the poor relation of the composer’s later Missa Solemnis. The task of performers in music such as this should be to minimise rather than accentuate its weaknesses. Though there were some beautifully sung quiet passages, in general conductor Jane Glover put the choir on full throttle far too often; indeed, hearing long, and occasionally strident, stretches of unrelieved fortissimo C major, I’m afraid I was reminded of the bad old days of ‘roaratorio’. Still, the performance was well received. The Szymanowski piece, for me an altogether more rewarding experience, could only provoke the audience, alas, into a paroxysm of apathy.

Robert Cockroft in the Yorkshire Post commented…

BUSINESS VOICE In each issue we are inviting one of the members of Business Voice to provide an article about their business. This time we welcome Revell Ward, one of the oldest established firms of Chartered Accountants in the town.

Revell Ward is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Tax Advisors based in the centre of Huddersfield. We have had a presence in Huddersfield for 100 years, and are very much a part of the local business community.

We are a team of straight-talking, strategy-focussed accountants, payroll and tax experts. We’ll help you to identify, implement and evaluate sound business advice and strategic accounts planning to support future life plans and deliver effective wealth management.

A key part of our practice is our Private Client Tax Service, where we provide tax advice and tax compliance services to individuals, trustees and business owners.

We present rounded and understandable solutions to help you manage your tax affairs and to plan for the future. We pride ourselves on our service delivery, which we think is second to none.

We can provide UK tax advice on any issue, including managing your income tax liabilities, inheritance tax planning, planning for the sale of capital assets including your business and managing your income tax liabilities. Our aim is to take away the worry and stress of dealing with tax and HMRC. We understand that your time is precious and that you have more important things to deal with!

We were one of the founder members of the Business Voice, the initiative created by The Huddersfield Choral Society, to provide a forum for companies and organisations which share an interest in promoting the Huddersfield brand nationally and internationally.

We are avid supporters of The Choral Society which we think is a vital part of the rich and ever-developing town.

Huddersfield Choral Society’s Business Network

IN THE LOOP

In this section we will aim to keep everyone up to date with the many facets of the Society’s work.

THE HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY ACADEMY The Society is very excited to be opening a choral academy. It will start in September 2019. The administrator of the academy is Angus Pogson and he has written an article about the start of this venture elsewhere in this issue.

AUTUMN CONCERT Following the Society’s spring concert where there was much unfamiliar music, we return to two well known composers for our concert on Nov 1st. Mozart’s Mass in C Minor will be familiar to many but Britten’s cantata on the life of St. Nicolas is new to our repertoire. Please read Malcolm Hinchliffe’s insightful article about the concert.

MESSIAH I am sure that our singing members and our subscribers will be delighted that our former principal conductor, Jane Glover, is returning to Huddersfield this Christmas to conduct our Messiah performances. We were hoping that Jane would take our Messiah concerts in 2017, in which case one them would have been her 100th performance of the piece. However, it will be wonderful to work with her again; whether or not we shall still perform her 100th Messiah, or whether she has sneaked it in somewhere else in the meantime I do not know, but whatever is the case, I am sure we will be in for two excellent concerts.

OUTREACH We were delighted to take part in the singing day on Messiah organised by the Mrs. Sunderland Music Festival in February and as part of our outreach programme we are organising a day of our own on 15th June in St Paul’s Hall on the University campus.

From 2pm there will be an open rehearsal on Faure Requiem and following a break at around 5.30, there will be an evening performance. The concert will also include three items from the HCS members alone, Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G Minor and two short pieces by Eric Whitacre, Sleep and I Thank You God. Tickets for singers are £10 and for audience at the concert only £5. To register for the day either download and complete the registration form on the website, or email info@huddersfieldchoral.com IMPORTANT DATES A reminder that the ballot for Subscribers for next season’s tickets will be held at Huddersfield Town Hall on Wednesday 12 June at 7pm (doors open 6.30). All season ticket holders will be receiving renewal forms from the Subscribers’ Secretary, Jane Armitage in the next few weeks.

The Society’s Annual General Meeting will be held in the Town Hall on Friday 12 July at 7.30pm. All members, associates and subscribers are invited to attend, but only singing members can vote.

FUTURE PLANNING We are now trying to plan concerts up to three years ahead in order that we can obtain the conductors, soloists and orchestras that we wish to use.

Much of the 2020/21 season is already planned in principle although details need to be finalised, but we can assure singers and audience alike that there is much to look forward to.

Finally, a reminder that the list (very long) of the Society’s past performances, going all the way back to 1836 is now available to view on our website, as well as this and previous editions of the newsletter.

Cutting down on paper and postage The Society is trying to reduce its costs, both monetarily and environmentally, by sending out fewer paper copies of the newsletter. If you would be willing to receive the newsletter by email from now on, please send your name, address and category (ie Associate Member, Subscriber, Sponsor or Friend) to our editor, Stephen Brook @ stephen.brook1@ntlworld.com NB. If you have already informed us due to reading this in a previous edition, there is no need to get in touch again.

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HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL YOUTH CHOIRS These are exciting times for all the singers in the Youth Choirs. We had a busy Christmas schedule taking part in three major concerts including the Youth Choirs’ “Countdown to Christmas” concert in Huddersfield Parish Church, sponsored

by Business Voice; the HCS Christmas concert conducted by Bob Chilcott; and the Lindley Band Gala Concert.

Wednesday 12 June 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7pm Season Ticket Holders’ Annual Ballot Saturday 15 June 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 2pm Rehearsal, 7pm Concert HCS Singing Day (Recruitment event) – Open Rehearsal – Faure Requiem

We began 2019 with the exciting prospect of learning new repertoire for music festivals and concerts. The Mrs Sunderland Festival, celebrating its 130th Annual Festival, offers a variety of classes for choirs, drawing entries from across the north of England. Young Voices took part in two classes, coming second in each, whilst Vocalise took joint second in the ‘Young People’s Choir 21 years and under’ class out of nine choirs,

Evening Concert all participants – Faure Requiem HCS Members only – Vaughan Williams – Mass in G Minor Eric Whitacre – Sleep / I Thank You God Saturday 30 June 2019 Lindley Methodist Church 3pm HCS Youth Choirs – Summer Concert

In March, all three Youth Choirs were delighted to take part in “The Greatest Show”, alongside dancers, choirs and a flautist. This exciting production, which virtually filled Huddersfield Town Hall, was promoted by Honley Ladies Choir, whose Chairman is Carole Kain, the Choir Secretary for the Youth Choirs.

Friday 12 July 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7.30pm HCS Annual General Meeting Wednesday 17 July 2019 Guest Dining, Farnley Tyas HCS Supper Club Evening

Just a week later, the Youth Choirs joined Lindley Community Choir in a sell-out concert for the ‘Northorpe Hall Child and Family Trust’ at Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, which raised £2,525 for the charity. Alison North, MBE, our Musical Director, started and conducts Lindley Community Choir and some of our members sing in both choirs.

Friday 1 November 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7.30pm HCS Autumn Concert – Britten St. Nicholas; Mozart – Mass in C Minor Halle Orchestra, Conductor Sofi Jeannin, also featuring HCS Youth Choir

We are thrilled to join HCS at their spring Subscriber concert on 12th April to sing O’Regan’s “A Celestial Map of the Sky”.

Sunday 1 December 2019 Holy Trinity Parish Church 3pm HCS Youth Choirs – Christmas Concert

The summer term will be an opportunity to introduce yet more repertoire, to recruit more members and to simply enjoy singing together. The season ends with a Youth Choir concert on Sunday 30th June at Lindley Methodist Church at 3pm, followed by a social event for members at the last rehearsal on Wednesday 3rd July.

Friday 6 December 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7.30pm HCS Christmas Concert, Conductor and Presenter – tbc Featuring HCS Youth Choirs and Black Dyke Band

Photo: Ruth Bostock

HCS SUPPER CLUB The supper club continues to bring good quality food and entertainment to its members. A recent event was held at 315 restaurant at Lepton where the diners were entertained by a quartet of HCS singing members. They are shown in the photograph and are (L to R), Adam Robinson, Bass; Emily Bland, Contralto; Cathy Sheida, flute; and Tim Wilkes, accompanist.

The Supper Club holds 3 or 4 evenings per year; the next will be on Wednesday 17 July at Guest Dining, Farnley Tyas. If you are interested in joining, or want further information about future events, please contact Helen Marshall on 07718746085 or email at helenfenay@aol.com

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Diary

Tuesday 17 December 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7.15pm Handel – Messiah. Orchestra of Opera North, Conductor Jane Glover Season Ticket performance Wednesday 18 December 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall 7.15pm Handel – Messiah. Orchestra of Opera North, Conductor Jane Glover Friday 20 December 2019 Huddersfield Town Hall HCS Youth Choirs as Guests of Lindley Band at their Christmas Concert For confirmation and full details of all Youth Choirs concerts please check the HCS Youth Choirs website.