Performing in large scale community festive celebrations used to be a staple part of any brass band’s concert diary in years gone by.

However, with the rampant commercialisation of Christmas reaching the point where you get to hear the first carols pumped out over a supermarket tannoy almost as soon as the embers have started to die down on the bonfire on Guy Fawkes night, it’s now hard for traditional concert events to attract substantial audiences to enjoy high quality music making amid all the tinsel topped tat and rubbish that surrounds them.

Philip Green

Thankfully not so in Huddersfield - with this celebrated partnership of the Queensbury band and their equally famous choral counterparts providing the type of festive celebration that would have warmed the cockles of the heart of the Grinch-like Philip Green.

This was the stuff to remind you of the joyfulness of Christmas; lots of familiar carols performed in various combinations of band/choir/organ all delivered with professional polish and hearty enthusiasm.  

Black Dyke enjoyed themselves with their solo items - from the up-tempo gallop of ‘Midnight Sleighride’ and witty humour of ‘Santa-claustrophobia’, to the touching delicacy of ‘Little Drummer Boy’.

Expertly delivered

‘Christians Awake’ and ‘Sussex Carol’, ‘The First Nowell’ to ‘The Star Carol’ with neat little segues in-between for old favourites such as ‘Hark the Herald’ and ‘O Come All ye Faithful’. It was well thought out and expertly delivered. 

Black Dyke enjoyed themselves with their solo items - from the up-tempo gallop of ‘Midnight Sleighride’ and witty humour of ‘Santa-claustrophobia’, to the touching delicacy of ‘Little Drummer Boy’.

The joint items with the choir and organ made the chairs rattle, whilst the community items were sung with gusto.

A fine youth choir a super organist added to the mix for a concert that reminded you that despite the musical pap that we get to hear all around us at this time of the year, there is still a room at the inn for quality musicianship. 

Even the encore of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ didn’t come with a ‘buy one get one free’ offer.