The premiere of our Ryedale Primary Schools Choir

Children from the singing clubs of three of our Ryedale Partner schools, Gillamoor C of E Primary School, Pickering Community Junior School and St Joseph’s RC Primary School joined together to form our Ryedale primary schools choir for a concert at St Peter and St Paul’s Church Pickering on Saturday 21st May in partnership with the Ryedale Festival.

The concert was “Seven Mercies” a community song cycle inspired by the Pickering Church Murals. It was written by composer Joseph Howard and librettist Emma Harding.  Joseph and Emma worked with the children earlier in the year to write some of the pieces incorporating lines such as “a sausage dog on a trapeze” and “squishy chimpanzees”. Over the past few months the children have been rehearsing in after school singing clubs under the guidance the Holly Greenwood-Rodgers, Oliver Whawell and Katie Brier from Sing Education.

For the concert the children were joined by the Ryedale Festival Community Choir and Junior members of the Kirkbymoorside Town Brass Band. As well as mezzo-soprano Kathryn Rudge and Christopher Glynn on Piano.  The concert was tailored to and performed by local people celebrating community after the darkness of the past few years.

Cathy Grant commented “This partnership with Ryedale Festival has been a great opportunity to bring people together across the community. The schools loved being part of it and the children gained great confidence from singing alongside professional musicians with a packed audience.”

Richard Shephard served as chairman of the Ryedale Festival from October 2017 to September when he resigned due to ill health. The Foundation is working with the festival to bring musical opportunities to children across the region.