Ilkley Choral Society starts the new 2024-25 Anniversary Season on Monday 2^nd September , and would like to invite you to two Open rehearsals on the 2^nd and the following Monday on the 9^th .

The Society rehearses in Christchurch, The Grove, Ilkley on Mondays from 7.30-9.30pm

However, on these first two Mondays, we invite potential new members to a pre-rehearsal tea/coffee on the balcony from 7pm, where you will have a chance to meet Officers, Committee  and choir members , to have an informal chat and find out about the Society . You will be invited to be a Guest Member for the remainder of the evening . Music will be provided . If after the first or both Mondays you wish to join us on a permanent basis, you will be invited to become a full member.

Ilkley Choral Society is the town’s largest classical choir, and performs all it’s concerts with Otley Choral Society , making a singing strength of c 120 for performances in St.Margaret’s Church ,Ilkley and in Otley Parish Church . Usually two concerts per season are performed in each venue.

Although Ilkley Choral is a non-audition choir, we would expect potential members to be able to sing in tune and have a basic music reading capability. All voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) will be most welcome.  We have an excellent vocal trainer and teacher in our Musical Director , Alex Kyle , himself a professional singer as well as a choir master.

Although we rehearse and exist as Ilkley Choral Society, Alex also is the MD of Otley Choral Society, and all concerts are performed as a combined choir.

In September we start rehearsing for our first concert  in Otley on 16^th November . We will be working on Holst’s “Festival Te Deum”,  Standford’s “Songs of the Fleet”  and Matthew Coleridge’s “Requiem”.  The “Requiem” is a relatively new work , and if you like Carl Jenkin’s choral works , then you will enjoy Matthew Coleridge’s work . This will be a super concert of British  choral music .

Our other  performances  will include Handel’s “Messiah” in Ilkley (December -this will be the 75^th Anniversary of the choir’s first performance of the work)   Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” (Ilkley) and Haydn’s “The Creation” (Otley) .

Please come along on the 2^nd or the 9^th , OR BOTH, and give us a try . You will receive a very warm welcome.

If you wish to speak to us beforehand ,please contact the choir’s Secretary on

secretary@ilkleychoral.org.uk

We are looking forward to meeting you on

Monday, 2^nd ( or 9th) September, 7pm, Christchurch , The Grove ,Ilkley