Otley Choral Society
Sharing the love of singing since 1943
Join Us
We are warmly inviting new members to join the Otley Choral Society and experience the joy of singing choral music for the next 2024-25 season.
We are a four-part choir with around eighty members, drawn from Otley and the surrounding area. We combine with the Ilkley Choral Society for performing in concerts under our excellent conductor Alex Kyle.
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Rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings between 7pm and 9pm at Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Farnley Lane, Otley LS21 2BB. There is ample parking available and level access can be arranged if this is necessary.
Meet the Team
Musical Director
Alexander Kyle
Alex was appointed as Musical Director of Otley Choral Society and their sister choral society in Ilkley since January 2024 and is a conductor, singer and singing teacher based in Leeds. From 2013-22 he was a Choral Director for Diocese of Leeds Music, in which post he conducted Bradford Catholic Youth Choir in prestigious venues such as the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, and on national BBC television (BBC 1) and Radio (Radio 3 and 4). Alex is in demand as a solo singer and workshop leader, and has run music workshops for York Early Music Festival and Harrogate International Youth Festival among others.
Alex has recently been awarded a Masters degree with Distinction in Solo Voice Ensemble Singing from the University of York, where he studied with Robert Hollingworth (Director, I Fagiolini) and Alex Ashworth (Teacher, Royal Academy of Music; Singer, Monteverdi Choir). He currently directs Vocalis Chamber Choir and has a long association with the Fisher Singers, whose spring concerts with orchestra he has guest conducted since 2017.
Robin hails from Watford, in Hertfordshire. He began playing the piano at the age of eight. Six years later, he took up the clarinet, achieving a pass with distinction in the Associated Board Grade 8 exam within twenty months of beginning his studies.
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His formal musical training began at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, later moving on to the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 1976 with an A.R.C.M. diploma and a G.R.S.M. degree. This was followed by a year at the Institute of Education at London University to qualify as a teacher.
Accompanist
Robin Cook
Trustees
This concert features three captivating choral works that traverse themes of reflection, adventure, and praise. Matthew Coleridge’s Requiem offers a modern yet timeless meditation on loss and peace, with its rich harmonies and serene beauty. Stanford’s Songs of the Fleet, a stirring maritime song cycle, celebrates the bravery of sailors and Britain’s naval heritage. Holst’s Short Festival Te Deum, composed for Westminster Cathedral, is a jubilant setting of the ancient hymn, combining clarity and grandeur in a short but powerful expression of faith and joy. We will be performing Peter Gosling's piece Chevin, a highly original and energetic setting of a poem about the Otley Chevin by local poet Jeremy Pritlove. To round off the concert, we have delightful soloistic performances to entertain, including two baroque arias from St Cecilian Odes.
Tickets are available to buy online using the button above, at Brown's Art Gallery Otley, Grove Bookshop Ilkley and via a choir member.
Matthew
Coleridge
Requiem
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16th November 2024 @ 6pm
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Otley Parish Church, Kirkgate, Otley, LS21 3HW