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1988 saw the sad retirement of our Musical Director Roy Firth after 14 years of great service. A supper and entertainment was provided in the Town Hall, a sad but great night for a great man. But as one door closes as they say, enter Alan Jenkins a professional musician of great ability. He can sing, play the piano, arrange music, a real all round musician.
A great honour that year was singing at Wembley Stadium for the first Rugby League Test march against Australia. The event instigated by the persistence of Stan Solomons, saw the choir singing to a crowd of 57,034. The choir sang the National Anthem, I Vow to Thee My Country and Australia Fair.
The choir entered the Male Voice Choir section of the Festival and whilst it was a good social gathering for both choir and supporters, then musical outcome was a bit of a let down!
Huddersfield Town Hall
The downside to 1997 was the resignation of the Musical Director Alana Jenkins after nine years of what Adrian Smith of the Huddersfield examiner called great distinction. After the departure of Alan Jenkins, the choir engaged as Musical Director Sean De Burca, a young Irishman, a very talented musician, as he proved with some of his arrangements, particularly for the CD with the Royal Marines, 'The pride and the Passion', brought out for the Rugby Union world Cup in 1999. After 2 years he decided he wasn't getting the support he should and her left the choir. During the next few months our accompanist John Oldfield filled the breach admirably.
May 2000 saw the return of Alan Jenkins as our Musical Director and, along with John Oldfield and George Marsden, we saw our old team back together.
Early January 2009 and our new team arrived, Keith Roberts our new MD and Sue Ogden accompanist. Thirty six year old Keith having come to live in the area with his job as Choral Director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. Originally from Kent he came with a wealth of knowledge with choirs but not make voice. On 28th April 2011, the choir set off to compete in the Cornish Music Festival. One good thing that came out of the competition, Keith our NMD won the prize as best conductor in the section. On our return Keith left us, as his day job had become far busier than he envisaged. A sad event as he had begun to put his stamp on the choir. On ward and upward, the choir now started the process of advertising for a successor, not an easy task.
Following Keith Roberts departure, accompanist John Oldfield took charge of the choir until a full-time MD could be appointed. After a rigorous application and interview process the choir unanimously appointed Steven Roberts who took up the post of MD in January 2012.
Presented by Honley Male Voice Choir to Cor Meibion Pontarddulais Male Choir & Saddleworth Male Voice Choir - Huddersfield Town Hall May 18th 2019
