Buckden Singers

Reviews & Articles

Yorkshire Life Feature - April 2012
Yorkshire Life report from "The Dales" Premiere - Click here to read

Craven Herald articles - March 2012
Feature and diary item about the Singers - 5th Anniversary and power cut - Click here to read

TV Times Feature - February 2012
TV Times feature on Buckden Singers and interview with Anne - Click here to read

Songs for a Summer Evening - Hubberholme - 22nd July 2011
Craven Herald - Thursday 28th July 2011

Buckden Singers, Songs For A Summer Evening, Hubberholme Church

This was the perfect cocktail for a very pleasant summer evening in Upper Wharfedale. Here, the villages are few and the population sparse: All the more amazing, then, that so many enthusiastic and talented voices are available to provide such entertainment.

Entertaining, it was, with a range of pieces from Vivaldi and Mozart, through old, traditional songs and Gospel songs, to Cole Porter and Abba. The chorus was generally firm and responsive, with even some eyes watching the conductor! Several solos added sparkle to the mainly chorus items, and two in particular - Steve Charlton and Jade McLellan - received much-deserved enthusiastic applause.

Anne Vetch clearly had her choir well rehearsed and she succeeded in getting what she wanted. John Cowpe on the keyboard was equal to the wide range of music styles, and skilfully engineered the key-changes to provide the continuity, avoiding a bitty sort of programme with so many pieces.

The only disappointing note was the electronic keyboard sound in the classical pieces. Neither Vivaldi nor Mozart would have liked it, and it was a pity that the logistics of combining the church organ, the large chorus and the necessary sight-lines were a major difficulty in the performance.

To the audience, it was of little matter. They had a very entertaining evening, and are no doubt already looking forward to the Christmas programme. Buckden should be proud.

Philip Baxter

Songs for a Summer Evening - Hubberholme - July 2009
Craven Herald - Friday 17th July 2009

"Singers in fine voice"

There was a full house at St Michael and All Angels, Hubberholme, when the church played host to Buckden Singers’ first concert in their “Songs for a Summer Evening” tour.

The programme included a wide variety of items, from Verdi to Westlife and from Mozart to Les Miserables. The concert opened with the singers’ signature piece, You Raise Me Up – which was seen when the choir recently featured on the BBC1 programme “In search of England’s Green and Pleasant Land”.

In an impressive finale from Les Miserables, pitchfork and musket-wielding choir members played the role of revolutionary French peasants.

The concert will be repeated at the Church of St Margaret Clitherow, Threshfield, on Saturday at 7.30pm

Yorkshire Life Feature - April 2012 Yorkshire Life report from "The Dales" Premiere - Click here to read
Craven Herald articles - March 2012 Feature and diary item about the Singers - 5th Anniversary and power cut - Click here to read
TV Times Feature - February 2012 TV Times feature on Buckden Singers and interview with Anne - Click here to read
Songs for a Summer Evening - Hubberholme - 22nd July 2011 Craven Herald - Thursday 28th July 2011 Buckden Singers, Songs For A Summer Evening, Hubberholme Church This was the perfect cocktail for a very pleasant summer evening in Upper Wharfedale. Here, the villages are few and the population sparse: All the more amazing, then, that so many enthusiastic and talented voices are available to provide such entertainment. Entertaining, it was, with a range of pieces from Vivaldi and Mozart, through old, traditional songs and Gospel songs, to Cole Porter and Abba. The chorus was generally firm and responsive, with even some eyes watching the conductor! Several solos added sparkle to the mainly chorus items, and two in particular - Steve Charlton and Jade McLellan - received much-deserved enthusiastic applause. Anne Vetch clearly had her choir well rehearsed and she succeeded in getting what she wanted. John Cowpe on the keyboard was equal to the wide range of music styles, and skilfully engineered the key-changes to provide the continuity, avoiding a bitty sort of programme with so many pieces. The only disappointing note was the electronic keyboard sound in the classical pieces. Neither Vivaldi nor Mozart would have liked it, and it was a pity that the logistics of combining the church organ, the large chorus and the necessary sight-lines were a major difficulty in the performance. To the audience, it was of little matter. They had a very entertaining evening, and are no doubt already looking forward to the Christmas programme. Buckden should be proud. Philip Baxter

Songs for a Summer Evening - Hubberholme - July 2009 Craven Herald - Friday 17th July 2009 "Singers in fine voice" There was a full house at St Michael and All Angels, Hubberholme, when the church played host to Buckden Singers’ first concert in their “Songs for a Summer Evening” tour. The programme included a wide variety of items, from Verdi to Westlife and from Mozart to Les Miserables. The concert opened with the singers’ signature piece, You Raise Me Up – which was seen when the choir recently featured on the BBC1 programme “In search of England’s Green and Pleasant Land”. In an impressive finale from Les Miserables, pitchfork and musket-wielding choir members played the role of revolutionary French peasants. The concert will be repeated at the Church of St Margaret Clitherow, Threshfield, on Saturday at 7.30pm