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STEETON MALE VOICE CHOIR
Situated in the Aire Valley, midway between the charming old market town of Skipton and the larger bustling town of Keighley lies the village of Steeton.
For well over 90 years the village has resounded to the quality sound of four part harmony from its choir.
Every Monday evening 70 men converge on the Methodist Chapel Schoolroom for their weekly rehearsal. Although the number of Steeton men in the choir has declined over the years, the village still remains their headquarters. The reputation of the choir particularly over the last quarter of a century now attracts men from a much wider area, some travelling from parts of the Leeds and Bradford conurbation and others from some of the lovely Dales villages. Keighley, Skipton and Ilkley also provide strong contingents.
The choir is in great demand, performing about 30 times a year in venues ranging from tiny chapels and churches to magnificent cathedrals, concert halls and arenas. The choir has contributed to massed male voice choir events in the Royal Albert Hall, The National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff and The Manchester Evening News Arena and the Sheffield Arena. Small groups from the choir also go to entertain residents in Nursing Homes and Sheltered Housing complexes. In addition to its many concerts around Britain, has travelled to the continent on five occasions to sing in various places in Germany, Holland and Belgium receiving tremendous applause and making many new friends there.
In 1991 Steeton joined the small, select band of choirs who have sung at the moving Last Post Ceremony at Ypres. They had the rare privilege and honour of singing there a second time in 1999.
Steeton Male Voice Choir has competed against the worlds best choirs at Llangollen on four occasions and has been well placed each time. On one visit being 4th overall and being second placed British choir and described by the International adjudicating panel as "a fine, fine choir".
The choir has sung in York Minster, Fountains Abbey, Bradford, Ripon, Coventry and St Asaph Cathedrals as well as several major churches and cathedrals overseas including the impressive Cologne Cathedral. In recent years they have sung as the guest choir with top Military Bands including the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, the Russian Army Band, the Swedish Navy Band and the Band of the Hungarian National Guard. In addition they have performed with virtually every top Brass Band in the country including European and World Champions.
Concerts with choirs in both North and South Wales and from the Midlands have also been enjoyable and rewarding experiences and have enhanced the choir's reputation.
The Steeton Male Voice Choir can be heard on a number of CDs, cassettes and albums. These include various selections from the many beautiful songs which they love to sing. Each of the recordings has been warmly received and enjoyed by those that hear them.
Full details of these recordings can be seen on other pages on this site.
If you are interested in singing with us, or becoming a patron of the choir. Please contact
[email protected]
Or call the Recruitment Officer, Ken Wardell on 01943 817432
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