Diamond Jubilee, our 60th anniversary. 

2009/10 will mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Ilkley Choral Society and we hope to celebrate the occasion in fine style. 

The Society’s first concert was a performance of Handel’s “Messiah”, so it is appropriate that we repeat this on 12th December 2009. 

However, the Spring concert (15th May 2010) will be one of contemporary works - Karl Jenkins “Armed Man: a Mass for Peace” which was premiered in the Royal Albert Hall in April 2000 and has already had over one hundred live performances and has been very widely acclaimed.  A bargain price CD is available. The work’s high position in Classic FM’s ‘Top Ten’ should help to swell our audience, it combines accessibility and excitement. We will need a sizeable orchestra and more than the usual number of soloists.

Sponsorship and funding: Our Anniversary will stretch our resources and we hope to attract a good level of sponsorship and grant aid and we invite potential sponsors to contact us (via the Society Secretary).  Members have been asked to make a contribution of £10 in addition to their annual subscriptions, for the next four years.  This contribution is entirely entirely voluntary and together with the relevant Gift Aid has already helped towards funding for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Lynn Buckley-McDonald

Secretary