Following an impressive performance at the Music for Youth Regional Festival in Halifax, Brackenfield School Junior Choir was invited to open the Tour de Yorkshire, Eve of Tour celebrations on April 27th at the National Railway Museum in York.
The choir performed “Medley for Yorkshire” especially arranged by Musical Director, Helen Leaf, at the VIP reception for over 200 guests including Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Her Excellency, Sylvie Bermann, French Ambassador to the UK, and Christian Prudhomme, General Director of the Tour de France. The audience was captivated by Brackenfield’s medley of songs to celebrate “God’s own County” including the familiar anthem “Ilka Moor Baht ‘at” and “Sing a Song of Yorkshire” written by Mulit-Award-Winning British composer, Benjamin Till. Following the performance, Sir Gary Verity tweeted that the choir “were brilliant.”
Headteacher, Pat Sowa commented: Brackenfield is a school which is proud of its heritage and also encourages its pupils to expand their horizons to explore the diverse and rich world we live in. As such, being involved in the Tour de Yorkshire was a great honour. I simply could not feel more proud of the children. It is a testament to their teachers and, in particular, Helen Leaf, Head of Performing Arts, that they have reached such a high standard of performance.
Choir members, Henry and Alice Titchmarsh, said: It’s so exciting and epic to have been part of the Tour de Yorkshire. We will remember it for the rest of our lives.
Year 4 pupil, Amelia Moon, added: I absolutely love our Yorkshire Medley and all of the people at the train museum loved it too!
Principal, Anthony Comerford echoed these sentiments: This was such a special event to be a part of. I would like to congratulate all of the children in our choir for their outstanding performance and thank Helen Leaf, our Head of Performing Arts, for her enthusiasm and inspiration.
Brackenfield School Junior Choir is an enthusiastic, non-selective choir of children aged 7 to 11 years. The choir performs in school productions, at the annual carol service and entertains at Nursing Homes in and around the area. It has appeared at the Royal Hall in concerts for the charity Action for Children and in Christmas benefit concerts with Mike Lovatt, lead trumpet with the renowned John Wilson Orchestra, international flautist, Simeon Wood, and BBC Let It Shine finalist, Bradley Johnson. In June 2017, the choir will perform in charity event “danSing for Shine” with comedy legends, Cannon and Ball, at the Harrogate Theatre.
