The Society was founded by a well-known Castleford music teacher called Lily Travis. In 1932 she decided to form a choral union, known affectionately as "Mrs Travis's Choir", made up of singers from her evening classes in Airedale, Glasshoughton, Ashton Road and the Potteries Schools, together with members of Glasshoughton Primitive Methodist Chapel Choir. In the early days Mrs Travis was the choir's conductor and pianist and she also formed a small orchestra of ten musicians, augmented for large concerts from members of Leeds Symphony Orchestra. |
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The Choral Union performed all kinds of music from oratorio to pantomime and musicals, in local churches as well as at the Salvation Army Citadel and the Picture House in Castleford. Highlights for the choir in its early days included a performance of Messiah in 1947 when the soloists included Isobel Baillie, Kathleen Ferrier and Owen Brannigan and a concert in London, as part of the celebrations for the Festival of Britain, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. |
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Following Lily Travis's death, Jack Harriman, a former pupil ofMrs Travis, became the Choral Union's Conductor, having originally joined the choir as their accompanist in late 1932. He was succeeded in 1963 by John Henry Walshaw, choirmaster of Castleford Congregational Church and nephew of Lily Travis. "John Henry" was determined that the Choral Union would continue to provide good music in Castleford and annual performances of oratorios were given by the choir throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. On John Henry's retirement Marjorie Stoker took over as Conductor. Under her stewardship the Choral Union increased its membership and changed its name to Castleford Choral Society. |
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The present Conductor, John Griffiths, has encouraged the choir to broaden its repertoire once more to include opera, operetta, songs from the shows and "choral" arrangements of pop songs as well as the more traditional choral works. Performances have taken place in Selby Abbey and Nostell Priory and the venues for the choir's annual carol singing session have included Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre, Xscape and Morrisons supermarket.Back to top |
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