History

The choir was founded in 1969 with just 5 members. Today, membership stands at around 50. Turnout for concert performances regularly exceeds 40.

Major Concerts

Whilst most of the concerts given by the choir are in support of charitable and local community projects, we hold an Annual Concert to raise funds for the choir itself, enabling it to continue with its work

Last year’s Annual Concert was held on October 22^nd 2011 at the United Reform Church, Harrogate, with our guests, the Tewit Youth Band. The evening provided a varied repertoire from the choir, encompassing American Spirituals, Ballads, Ragtime and a Yorkshire Melody.  The Tewit Youth Band provided an array of music including the Anthem from Chess, Unchained Melody, showing a high level of  musical accomplishment.

Our 2010 Annual Concert was held on October 16^th  in the Soothill Hall of Ashville College, Pannal Ash, when our Special Guests were Dinnington Colliery Band, the subject of the BBC TV series ‘A Band for Britain’ featuring Sue Perkins.

On October 24^th 2009, our 40th Anniversary Concert was held in the Royal Hall, when an audience of over 700 enjoyed an evening down memory lane with traditional & popular male voice choir singing and the unforgettable 1940s music of Glenn Miller provided by our guests, The Glenn Miller Orchestra UK under the direction of Ray McVay.

This year our Annual Concert features the local talents of the Harrogate Band and will take place on Saturday May 19^th 2012 at 7.30pm in St Marks Church, Leeds Road, Harrogate.

Joint Events

Since the 1980s, HMVC has joined other Male Voice Choirs in the’ Yorkshire Festival of Music’ organised every 3 years by Yorkshire Cancer Research and performed, usually, in The Royal Albert Hall. The latest in this series was the ‘Festival of Brass & Voices’ at The Royal Albert Hall on October 31st 2009, featuring two major brass bands and over 1000 choristers, both Ladies and Male Voice, from all over the UK, which raised over £150000 for Cancer Research UK. Rehearsals are already under way for the next event, again in The Royal Albert Hall, on November 3^rd 2012 when the massed Ladies & Male Voice Choirs and the combined talents of Grimethorpe Colliery and The Cory Brass Bands will be featured, together with a number of support items, in what promises to be another record breaking concert in support of Cancer Research UK. 

HMVC also enjoys performing with other choirs and in recent years has hosted the Forest of Dean MVC, Churchdown MVC, City of Chester MVC & Highfield MVC and, most recently, The Harmony Men from Jersey in joint concerts in Harrogate and Ripon and is currently planning an ‘away fixture’ to Jersey with the latter in Spring 2013.

Special Occasions

The choir performs at a variety of private functions, including weddings, anniversaries and corporate events.

If you would like us to sing at your event, please contact the  Concert Secretary

Community Concerts

The majority of our concerts are held in support of a local charity. These are held in churches, village and community halls, mainly in the Harrogate area, but also elsewhere in Yorkshire. Over the years the choir has helped to raise substantial sums for many worthy causes.

Our repertoire in a mixture of religious and secular music, and includes modern items as well as traditional male voice choir numbers.
As well as choral items, our concerts include a number of solo items and monologues, linked by one of our inimitable comperes.
A typical concert programme is -

Bring Me Sunshine Bring Back the Beguine Solo For the Beauty of the Earth Eli Jenkins' Prayer Monologue Take Me Home She Solo Rhythm of Life Blue Moon INTERVAL

I'm Gonna Walk Unchained Melody Solo Last of the Summer Wine The Rose Monologue The Lost Chord Gwahoddiad Solo Hallelujah Softly, as I Leave You Morte Criste

We would be delighted to hear from any charitable group who would like to consider booking the choir for a fundraising event. Please contact the Concert Secretary for further details.

Join us

New members are always welcome (especially Tenors). We do not hold formal auditions for new members, but an ability to sing tenor, baritone or bass is obviously required. An ability to read music is helpful, but not essential.

We rehearse every Tuesday (except during August) from 7.30 to 9.30p.m. at Woodlands Methodist Church Hall on Wetherby Road, Harrogate. Anybody interested in joining us should contact any committee member, or simply turn up at a rehearsal.