Reflection

The death of Queen Elizabeth ll saw the nation plunged into mourning, and with a state funeral to organise. The planning had been in the making for sometime – London Bridge as it was known as. Whilst Great Britain has very many challenges in the midst of a vulnerable world, for a few days at the very least, it did feel as if the world had stopped spinning for a few hours, at least until the Funeral was over. The Funeral was a symbol of what in the past had made Britain Great, and for one day, many people felt enormous pride in what the nation put on to say farewell to our long serving Sovereign. It was a spectacle to behold with colourful processions and wonderful music be it brass bands, Scottish pipes, and exemplary music of the very best choral tradition of the Church of England. The descants and the brass from the state trumpeters were exhilarating and beautifully delivered.

In the Minster we try to emulate this standard of choral singing and to perform much of the music at the Queen’s Funeral to the very best of our abilities. Those who attended the Commemoration Service for Her Majesty the Queen in the Minster on the Saturday night before the Funeral had a similar experience of what those in Westminster Abbey were able to have at the Funeral. But as we all know children’s voices, especially boys don’t last very long, and having been unable to recruit to the Minster choir for over 2 years of the Pandemic, we urgently need boys and girls from the age of 8 upwards to come and ensure this great British choral tradition keeps going alive and well, and not only in the great Cathedrals of our land, but here in our own Minster. Singing improves our mental health, it teaches us about discipline, team work, language skills, performance experiences, travel at home and abroad,

recording and broadcasting. Choristers from Halifax have gone on to Chetham’s School of Music, the Halle and National Youth Orchestras, the Royal Academy of Music and The Guildhall, with former Organ Scholar Alex Binns, now Director of Music at Derby Cathedral.

Music in state education is now at its very lowest. Most Primary Schools no longer have someone to play the piano to accompany the school choir – its now on a CD or a stick, and the pitch of modern songs means many children never find their voice or have any idea of what they could achieve with it. Many children have never heard an orchestra live and had that experience of awe and wonder. Music and the performing arts are totally underfunded by the Department for Education, and Local Authorities are left trying to care for Looked After Children and Adults in Social Care with little money left for anything else. Calderdale has just launched its new Music Hub to try and motivate more children and young people to learn an instrument and a chance to find their voice and to be able to sing. We need to get behind the Hub if its going to have any chance of succeeding its vision, and the Minster wants to play its part, by providing a wonderful space for performance, to have one of the best choirs in Calderdale and in Yorkshire. Its less than 100 days to Christmas, so now is definitely

the time to come and join if you want to sing those Carols in the Minster this Christmas!