A choir that hopes to improve people’s mental health has launched in Knaresborough.

Singing is Mental had its first meeting on Monday and hopes not only to improve people’s mental health, but also raise money for The Ostrich Foundation – a Harrogate charity which works towards suicide prevention in young people.

Founder Rhiannon Gayle said the choral sessions will be fun and fast-paced, with a wide variety of music genres, ranging from rock music to sea shanties and world music.

The choir will put on a small concert in January, with the hope of hosting a combined concert alongside Ms Gayle’s other choirs in July next year.

The combined concert will focus on Zimbe – a style of African music and song.

Ms Gayle said:

“The main focus of the choir is to keep the voice and brain healthy.”

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Ms Gayle, who was a professional soprano before teaching and running choirs, has been a long-term advocate of the benefits of singing to both physical and mental health and says “singing as a group helps many health conditions and is often recommended by GPs”.

She has over 40 years of choral experience and has run many choirs. She currently teaches singing at Ashville College and runs a girls’ choir, Sonorous, which she hopes could be involved in the combined concert.

Singing is Mental will meet every Monday in the castle room at Gracious Street Church in Knaresborough from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Any age is welcome but children must be accompanied by a parent.

Membership costs £39 per half-term and 10% of the fee and concert profits will be donated to The Ostrich Foundation.

Those interested in joining can contact Rhiannon Gayle on 07752 468102 or email singingismental@gmail.com.

A new choir will offer a fun yet effective form of speech therapy for people with Parkinson’s in the Harrogate district.

It will be led by musician Rhiannon Gayle, supported by staff from speech therapy at Harrogate District Hospital.

Each session will offer gentle exercises and fun songs, as well as time to socialise, at the Green Hut on Harlow Avenue, Harrogate, each Monday afternoon.

Research has shown singing helps to improve breathing and voice control in people with Parkinson’s, and group singing is also known to improve mental health and wellbeing.

John Sheepy, chairman of the Harrogate and district branch of Parkinson’s UK, said he is keen to hear from more people with Parkinson’s who could benefit from the choir and the other activities on offer.

“We have 160 members in the branch, but the hospital have 750 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s on their records.

“We’re always trying to find the other mossing 600 – not from our own point of view, but from theirs, because Parkinson’s is a horrible thing to face without support.”

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As well as its monthly meetings, the Harrogate group offers numerous opportunities for members to stay active, from table tennis to crown green bowls, and even boxing.

It also organises talks from experts in fields relevant to Parkinson’s patients. On September 27, three leading speakers will look at advances in research, treatments and technology in a research projects discussion forum held by the branch.

The event takes place at the Masonic Lodge from 7pm, with a meal also available from 6pm at £10 per person.

For more information about the choir or other upcoming events, visit the Harrogate and district Parkinson’s website.

A top wine critic and broadcaster is set to team up with a choir and instrumental ensemble to explore the relationship between music and gin.

Held in association with Harrogate’s Slingsby Gin, the event will see Oz Clarke and the Armonico Consort investigate the highs and lows of the connection between gin, music, and humans over the centuries.

Gin and Phonic will take place in The Spiegeltent, in Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, on the evening of Monday, July 4, as part of the Harrogate Music Festival.

Slingsby Gin will be providing two free gin tastings for each audience member, which can be sipped whilst listening to the music of Purcell, Handel and Dowland.

Whilst William Slingsby discovered the unique properties of the natural spring water from Harrogate’s Tewit Well in 1571, more than 40 years later Slingsby Gin captured the ‘Spirit of Harrogate’, synonymous with its beautiful and restorative nature, in a variety of different gins.

Tickets cost £28 and are available here or by calling the Harrogate International Festivals box office on 01423 562303.

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A pop choir from Harrogate has been chosen to perform alongside Barry Manilow on his UK tour next week.

Love Pop Choir will sing It’s A Miracle and Let Freedom Ring with the American superstar at the First Direct Arena on June 25.

Lauren Elliott, who owns the choir, said the all-female group was giddy at the prospect of sharing a stage with Barry. She said:

“I can’t believe how many Barry fans we have in the choir. It’s been full-on hysteria since we got the news!”

Douglas Hallenbeck, the Manilow tour choir coordinator, approached Ms Elliott by email.

At first she thought it was a wind-up and almost deleted the message before she discovered it was genuine.

Lauren Elliott (centre) with her two choir directors.

Thirty-four members of the choir, which has had to bring in some male voices at Barry’s request, will be on stage in front of more than 10,000 fans. Ms Elliott said:

“We are beyond excited at this amazing opportunity.

“My only wish is that choir numbers were not limited, as I would love to have included every single lady from all our groups in Harrogate, Cookridge, Roundhay, Otley, Ilkley and Saltaire. They are all fabulous!”.

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Love Pop Choir, which meets on Thursday evenings at Harrogate Rossett School, sings pop songs from the 1960s onwards, but especially 1980s numbers. No experience is required.

Asked why so many choirs have sprung up lately, Ms Elliott said:

“It doesn’t matter how good your day is, when you go to choir you always come away feeling really good.”

Love Pop Choir will also be singing at The British Transplant Games gala at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on July 31.

The choir is fundraising for The Leeds Children’s Transplant Team’s Charity by completing 100 hours of singing by the date of the gala event. Donations can be made here.

Love Pop Choir performing at Harlow Carr.

Harrogate Choral Society will welcome back one of its former longstanding conductors for a farewell concert this month.

Andrew Padmore was musical director of the society since 2005 until his retirement last year. But he has agreed to return to the Royal Hall on March 19 for a final performance.

The concert, which has been in the works since 2020 when it was postponed due to covid, includes Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Rossini’s Stabat Mater.

Soloists include Sarah Power (soprano), Stephen Gadd (bass), Clare McCaldin (mezzo) and Austin Gunn (tenor). They will be accompanied by the choir and Manchester Camerata orchestra.

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The society is a mixed age, voice choir which has been running since the 19th Century.

Paul Jackson, co-chair of the choir, said;

“We are very pleased that Andrew is returning for this farewell concert, which includes, as Rossini himself rightly said, ‘music of the finest quality’. This will be an exciting evening.”

Tickets are £25 or £5 for concessions and can be bought from the box office at Harrogate Theatre.