Halifax-based Orion Chamber Choir is back with a vengeance after struggling to survive during Covid

The choir was established some in 2015 by local contralto soloist and singing teacher, Bridget Budge. With less than 16 members, its aim was to bring together some of the best choral and solo singers in the area under her expert direction to give high-quality performances of unusual and interesting music outside the repertoire of many local choirs.

Then Covid hit. Bridget had to step down as director due to family commitments and the choir could no longer meet in person for rehearsals. “I was determined not to let something so good just disappear” said soprano Sarah Wickham, one of the founder members, so she set up weekly Zoom sessions for the choir. Those singers who could make these continued to rehearse during lockdowns by streaming recordings of the pieces they were practising and then each member singing along, but muted, so that they could hear themselves, but not the others. “It was quite unforgiving” said alto Jane Toole. “You were effectively singing a solo to yourself, so there was nowhere to hide any wrong notes!”

Once Covid restrictions ended, the choir managed to find a new director from its own ranks when bass Mitchell Wright, a recent music graduate from Huddersfield University, stepped up to become conductor. Its first post-pandemic concert was in October 2021 and its next on is on February 25 at 7.30pm at Holy Trinity and St Jude’s Church, Free School Lane, Halifax, when it will sing a selection of sacred and secular music by English composers, including Elgar and Howells.

The choir has welcomed some new members recently, but still has vacancies for confident and experienced tenors and basses. It rehearses on Thursday evenings at the Crossley Gallery, Dean Clough, Halifax. Anyone interested in auditioning should email the choir on [email protected]