The 2009-10 season has been a disappointment for both the choir and our faithful band of followers. With both the Christmas and January concerts cancelled due to extreme weather, the only performance this season has been an appearance in a charity concert to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The deadline for this article was 1st May and I hope a concert of Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ and J S Bach’s ‘Cantata no 78’ took place on 8th May - peculiar weather patterns, erupting volcanoes and goodness knows what else permitting!

          Another disappointment is that our Musical Director, Malcolm Knowles, is leaving us for personal reasons after only one year. At a time when we should be ordering the scores for next year’s concerts, we are once again rudder-less and looking for a new captain. Good directors, experienced in classical choral singing and familiar with directing soprano, alto, tenor & bass choirs are hard to come by, particularly those able (or willing) to work on a Friday evening. Ryedale Choral is a friendly and committed amateur choir of around fifty enthusiasts with everyone from beginners to classically trained soloists in its ranks and has a long history of presenting both well-known and less familiar choral works in the area. The choir is as much a social as a singing group and members are eager to continue to perform together for many years to come. We are all hoping for a saviour in the near future and wish to thank Malcolm Knowles for his insightful leadership.

          We are also losing the redoubtable Jim Dye as our secretary, though thankfully not as a choir member. He has worked tirelessly, and sometimes thanklessly, for years and feels it is time to hand over to someone new. He will be a very hard act to follow. 

          The new season starts in September. We meet in the Methodist Church Rooms on Potter Hill, Pickering on Fridays at 7.30pm and new members are always made welcome and supported. Please contact Grahame Walker for further details.  

Mary Cowton.