Make your mark at the Holmfirth Arts Festival

Do you love to sing? Are you a member of a local choir? And would you like to take part in a spectacular singing event as part of this year’s Holmfirth Arts Festival on Sunday, June 17?

Festival organisers are on the lookout for both individuals and choirs to learn a collection of new songs about the Holme Valley – specially written by local musician and composer Barry Russell. 

“It’s been an ongoing dream of mine to create new work in the valley, which is about the area and includes local people,” said Barry.

“I see this as the beginning of a new legacy of singing for Holmfirth and the surrounding area.”

Working initially from Facebook posts, Barry has harnessed local phrases and insights to write eight new songs about the Holme Valley, with subject matter ranging from brass bands to the River Holme, Bamforth’s postcards and Le Grand Depart cycle race. 

The songs will form a resource for the future which can be used by schools and community groups and which, he hopes, will help to revive mass sings in the area.

‘Sing Holmfirth!’ will also record and share the choral traditions of the Holme Valley from 1882 to the present day. The Holme Valley has a long standing cultural tradition of choral singing, with the Holmfirth “Feast Sing" held in Victoria Park every year between 1882 and 1990. 

Working alongside James Morgan, Holme Valley Orchestra archivist Heather Norris-Nicholson and oral history expert Charlie Wells, the project will culminate in a massed choir of 250 local people singing newly created and traditional songs on Sunday, June 17, at 3pm in Holmfirth’s Victoria Park.

The choir will include pupils from Holmfirth Junior & Infant School, Wooldale Junior School and Holmfirth High School.

The project will be also be complimented by a web page and a touring display to local libraries.

“We particularly hope to gather memories about the Holmfirth Feasts that continued over many decades,” said Heather.

“So we need local people to tell us what Holmfirth's past open air singing choral occasions were like - whether as a performer, audience member,  chair-shifter, ticket-seller, fund raiser,  or in some other role we haven't even thought of.”

To sing in the event contact Barry Russell on russell.b3@btinternet.com or call 07720 661822.

More information about how to get involved in this and other festival projects can be found on the festival website at: www.holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk/participate/

Details of this year’s festival programme are available on the festival website www.holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk.

To join the email mailing list contact: communications@holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk or sign up at: www.holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk/sign-up/

Holmfirth Arts Festival is funded by Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Awards for All, One Community Foundation, Longley Farm and the Parish Council, and receives support from local businesses and individuals.