Choir

The College Chapel stands in the grounds and it is here that the Chapel Choir of 32 girls aged 13-18 performs daily. It is responsible for the music used in worship at the College.

Girls join the Choir by audition, and remain in the Choir until they leave the College. Their repertoire is mainly liturgical in two to eight parts. They sing plainsong to spirituals, barber-shop, close harmony, madrigals, Beatles and other lighter music for outside concerts and competitions.

Over the years the Choir has been a finalist four times in the National Choral Competition held in the Royal Festival Hall, London, and has competed four times also in the International Llangollen Eisteddfod in Wales. Broadcasts on radio and television are regular features and have included services of Matins and Compline for the BBC and BBC World Service and Sunday Half Hour for Radio 2. The Choir sings Evensong in York Minster, Durham and Ripon Cathedrals each year, and broadcasts the Daily Service live on BBC Radio 4 when needed.

Performing tours include three to the Russia in 1983,1989 and 2001, Czech Republic in 1986 and 1997, Portugal in 1987, Vienna in 1992, Germany in 1999 (Bach’s cities and churches), Paris in 1995 and 2003 and Poland (Krakow) in July 2006.

Gallery Choir

Gallery Choir now numbers over 50 singers from Highfield and HLC. The Choir started three years ago with Chapel Scholars but quickly numbers increased as non-scholars joined for the fun of it. With the new year in September, some of the Gallery Choir will be looking forward to singing in the Chapel Choir, but there is still one event left for the Gallery Choir.

Many parents saw the Gallery Choir’s performances in the recent Harrogate Competitive Festival held at HLC. They attracted warm praise from the adjudicator and were singing way out of their age group, against the Chapel Choir in one case. They tackled an unaccompanied four-part spiritual with real confidence, the three-tiered staging fitting them to a tee. One could almost imagine it was made for them!