If you haven’t heard this choir before, make the effort. The effect they get is partly due to being a large choir with every pitch of voice well represented, partly to their ability to handle complex harmony, and partly to the enthusiasm and enjoyment they put into their songs. They are led by musical director Carol Donaldson.
The songs themselves have many origins and styles, from harmonious to protest to toe tapper. An even more exotic selection came from subgroup of seven Corista, including a lullaby.
An interval brought cakes and seriously good lemonade. A subgroup of four, the Remmingtons, demonstrated close harmony singing. The low voices did not come over strongly enough in some of their numbers, but the voices were beautiful, and they finished with a lovely version of “Who will be the lady” with the rest of the choir backing them up.
The Calder Valley voices finished the concert with songs including “Valley of Sanctuary”, about refugees, ending with “Let there be peace”.
The concert was a benefit for Street Angels, working to help people for whom a night out has gone wrong. They also have a café in Halifax: “Angels’ Rest”.