BRADFORD Festival Choral Society is calling on local choirs and singing groups to join it in a special event as part of this year's Bradford Festival.

The annual event will be held from Friday, June 12, to Sunday, June 14, in and around the City Park. Bradford Council is organising the numerous acts, workshops and performances that will make up the weekend's festivities.

The city's Festival Choral Society will be putting on informal concerts around the city centre, as well as some longer performances around the mirror pool and a mass performance to finish the Saturday and Sunday.

It is hoping choirs of all sizes and experience will join in, including large, established choirs and local community organisations, as well as school and workplace groups.

It is also offering coaching support and tips to choirs in need of help preparing.

Bradford Festival Choral Society chairman Maggie Eisner said: "The choir is really excited about this event. I hope that lots of different choirs from Bradford’s many communities will want to take part.

"Maybe a few workmates have thought of singing together. We can provide a choir leader free of charge to help them prepare.

"So if you have watched Gareth Malone on the TV and thought that you’d love to do that, then this is your chance."

Tom Leech, the choir’s musical director added: "Singing together is a wonderful experience, one of the most natural ways of expressing emotion - it lifts the spirits and can create something really magical.

"Bradford Festival Choral Society is just one part of the city's rich vocal culture and we'd love to bring choirs and singers of styles together for an amazing and enriching performance."

Any choirs or individuals who are interested should contact the choir by emailing bradfordfestivalchoralsociety@gmail.com - clearly marking their email BRADFEST - and one of the organisers will get back to them.

The society is one of England's oldest amateur choirs and was founded in 1856, with roots dating back to the first Bradford Festival three years earlier.

Over the years the choir has performed most of the major choral repertoire, working with a list of conductors including Elgar, Malcolm Sargent, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Charles Groves, Richard Hickox and Sir David Willcocks, together with soloists and orchestras of international calibre.