DURING the pandemic, when choirs were unable to meet up in person to sing together, one of Bradford’s oldest choral societies and a singing group of refugees and asylum-seekers worked together on two special digital recordings.
Now six musicians and recording artists working with the two very different choirs have achieved national recognition – winning the Group Hero Award from Making Music, the UK’s national body for amateur choirs and orchestras.
The annual awards celebrate the creativity of Making Music’s 3,900-member groups and spotlight individuals who help the UK leisure-time music sector to flourish. The ceremony, held last week, recognised music creators and arrangers, projects, music directors and group heroes.
In 2021, when lockdown conditions were continuing to restrict live music, Bradford Friendship Choir – set up six years ago choir for refugees, asylum-seekers and friends – worked with Bradford Festival Choral Society, established in 1856, to record two songs: Jikelele, a South African song meaning ‘everywhere’ or ‘universal’, and Here is My Home, an American folksong traditionally sung at Thanksgiving.
The music and production team of Alice Phelps, Fran Wyburn, Thomas Leech, Christopher Pulleyn, Pariss Joseph and James Hamilton collaborated to produce arrangements blending the skills of the two choirs. They rehearsed the groups, recorded guide tracks to support their recordings and supplied on the spot advice and equipment so members without access to smartphones could make their recordings.
The singers’ tracks were then edited together to create the virtual choir recordings, premiered in autumn 2021 when BFCS gave its first post-lockdown performance.
Receiving the Group Hero award, Fran Wyburn, musical director of the Friendship Choir, said: “The project was an opportunity to bring together singing voices in Bradford at a time during lockdown when we needed it the most... we dedicate the award to Maggie Eisner (former chair of Bradford festival Choral Society), who has played a huge part in bringing both choirs together.”
The winners of the 2022 Making Music Awards were announced at an online ceremony. The awards were judged by panels of experts from across the music sector, with the exception of the group hero award, which was decided by online public vote.
Making Music chief executive Barbara Eifler said: “The quality and creativity of groups and artists are evident in the shortlists and winners of these awards. We are delighted to be shining a much-deserved light on these talented groups and the dedicated individuals who work with them, and who help the UK leisure-time music sector to remain so vibrant.”
Debbie Wiseman, Making Music president, said: “I am deeply impressed by the talent, musicianship and boundless enthusiasm of not just the winners but all nominees for this year’s Making Music Awards.
“It was a pleasure to listen to such a diverse selection of music, and it was a tremendously difficult decision to name a winner in each category, because the quality of the music making, as in previous years, continues to be of the highest standard.”
In an additional accolade for Bradford Festival Choral Society, its Musical Director, Thomas Leech, was shortlisted for Making Music’s Best Musical Director award.
Nominated for his work leading the choir through a series of ambitious virtual projects during lockdown and maintaining a regular programme of rehearsals, Tom has already won a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society award for lockdown work with the Diocese of Leeds Singing Programme, which included working with thousands of children in Bradford.
Said Tom: “It’s wonderful to see the great sense of community between the two choirs – providing welcome and musical sanctuary – and the whole team is delighted that the work of BFCS and BFC has been recognised on a national stage.”
n Bradford Friendship Choir meets in Bradford every Tuesday from 6-7pm. For more details email bradfordfriendshipchoir@gmail.com
n Bradford Festival Choral Society always welcome new members. The choir is looking forward to performing Handel’s iconic Messiah for the first time in several years, with “a team of outstanding soloists and an orchestra playing on historic instruments”.
The performance is at Bradford Grammar School on Saturday, November 19 at 7.30pm.
For more about the choir go to bradfordfestivalchoralsociety.org.uk.
n To listen to the digital recordings made by the two choirs go to youtube.com/watch?v=jIIijQTPrdA
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