www.inspirationuk.com

The massed voices of Inspiration present

EverywhereChristmas Tonightwith The Orchestra of Opera NorthA spectacular Christmas concert featuring many seasonal favourites, all given the unique Inspiration treatment, including a fabulous tribute to the Christmas magic of Henry Mancini.

18 December 2011, 4pm, Leeds Town HallBox office: 0113 224 3801www.leedsconcertseason.com

Saturday 9 July 2011, 7.30pmLeeds Town Hall

Musical Director: Gary Griffiths

Your SongInspiration and The Orchestra of Opera North present

Keeping everyoneon their toesThis term has been so much fun. The huge range of songs and styles has kept

everybody on their toes, switching from Rutter to the Beatles, from Madonna to

Verdi, in the blink of an eye. I am so proud of these singers, with their flexibility

and talent. They really do rise to anything I throw at them, embrace it, take it to

their hearts and then perform it for you. What a treat it is for me to work with

them every week.

We continue to perform in the community as well, with charity concerts and

school choir workshops. These ‘extras’ are important to us, as we take our love of

singing out of the concert hall. We are also growing in numbers too, and we are

having to move to new rehearsal venues, both in Leeds and Newcastle, as there

just isn’t enough room for us all where we are!

I hope there is something special for you in tonight’s concert. These songs have

hit a lot of nerves in rehearsal, taking singers back to times in their lives they had

not thought about for a while; this is the power of music, of whatever style.

Thank you as always for your support, on and off stage. I know a lot of singers

would not be able to sing in Inspiration if it wasn’t for the support of loved ones

at home.

Gary

Sgt. Pepper’s(Beatles Opening)

Recognised as one of themost important albums in the

history of popular music,‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts

Club Band’ was one of the firstpop albums to include the

full lyrics on itsrecord sleeve.

Gary GriffithsInspiration Musical DirectorGary was born in 1966 and educated at

Wolverhampton Grammar School where he first

started to sing in choirs and also started to play

oboe and percussion. Eventually he became

principal oboist of Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra

and principal percussionist of Wolverhampton

Concert Band.

He went on from Wolverhampton to York University

to study music, continuing to play oboe and

percussion and of course singing. He played or sang in most of the department’s

ensembles and also sang in the Yorkshire Bach Choir under the inspirational

directorship of Peter Seymour.

He graduated in 1988 and stayed in York to live, working as a Songman in the

choir of the beautiful Minster. With the Minster Choir he sang in many of the

world’s great cathedrals and churches in the USA and Europe and many of

the major concert halls in the UK. The Choir has made numerous recordings

and broadcasts.

Whilst at university he discovered his love of musical theatre. Eventually he joined

York Light Opera Society, first as a playing chorus member, later becoming their

Chorus Master. He also became Musical Director for Pickering Musical Society

and Sing Live. It was orchestrating ‘Annie’ for Pickering that led him to start his

own business, arranging and orchestrating for local groups.

On the non-musical side, Gary is an excellent cook

and is also a member of the Rollercoaster

Club of Great Britain.

Andy BoothAccompanistAndy Booth is a professional MD and Pianist

from Chesterfield who runs his own productions

company, FONO Productions, and has recently

worked with Evolution Pantomimes (Sheffield

2010: Peter Pan, 2009: Snow White), Sheffield

Theatres (2011: Happy Days), Strictly Come

Dancing (2011/10: Tour Band), Croft Musical

Theatre Company (Sheffield Lyceum 2011:

Sweeney Todd), and Kenwright Productions

(2011: Tour – Annie).

As a pianist Andy can be found playing for Orchestras, Big Bands and Soloists.

His more notable work includes The Isle of Man Promenade Concerts 2005

(Falla – Nights in the Gardens of Spain, Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 21, Concert

Orchestra of Europe), The Rightful Owners of the Song Project (Guest Leader –

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) and regularly plays for ‘Inspiration’

the superb Leeds/Newcastle based choir, the Nick Ross Orchestra, Strictly Come

Dancing, the contesting UK teams in the Waterford International Light Opera

Festival and for many jazz artists, which in itself, has taken him from Keswick

to Barletta (South Italy) over the years.

Besides all this, Andy still finds time to be the Chair and Musical Director of the

Barlow Annual Promenade Concerts, a prestigious village festival in the heart of

Derbyshire culminating in June each year, run his own mini jazz club (Mister B’s),

conducts, composes, accompanies and consults for a number of choirs,

music groups and festivals (Ripley and Alfreton

Musical Theatre Company, The Lindrick Singers,

The Holmebrook Valley Singers and so on)

and he still continues the family tradition

as Musical Director of The Carolare Choir

(Chesterfield).

Fiddler On The RoofWith over 3,000 performances

‘Fiddler On The Roof’ wasBroadway’s longest running

show, until it was surpassed byGrease. Nearly fifty years afteropening it is still Broadway’sfourteenth longest-running

show ever.

Keeping The Dream AliveDespite selling millions of

albums throughout Europe‘Keeping The Dream Alive’ isGerman pop and rock band

Münchener Freiheit’s only hitin the UK, reachingnumber 14 in 1988.

The Orchestra of Opera North is the only ensemble in the country to have a

year-round dual role in the opera house and concert hall.

It has important relationships with Leeds International Concert Season and the

region’s choral societies, and is the resident Orchestra for the Leeds Conductors

Competition, the National New Composers Forum and the orchestral concert

seasons in Kirklees.

The Orchestra has a strong commitment to education work and many of the

players are outstanding teachers with several holding professorships at the

Royal Northern College of Music and at Universities within the region.

It has received international recognition for its recordings, with releases on

Chandos, Collins Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Hyperion and Naxos,

and has toured abroad both with the whole Company and independently to

many European countries and regularly performs at venues throughout the UK.

First ViolinsDavid Greed (Leader)Andrew Long (Associate Leader)Stephen Shulman*Michael Ardron*Eileen Spencer* Brian ReillyTamsin SymonsClaire Osborne

Second Violins Katherine NewMaria Vericonte*Anita Chidsey*Catherine Baker*Wendy DysonAlison Dixon

Violas David Aspin Vivienne Campbell*Anne TrygstadVince Parsonage

CellosSally PendleburyAnna MowatJudith BurginAndrew Fairley*

BassesPaul Miller*Claire Sadler

Flutes David Moseley*Jennifer George

OboeRichard Hewitt

Clarinets Colin HonourJohn Robinson

BassoonDavid Baker

Horns Andrew LittlemoreMax Garrard

Trumpets Murray GreigMichael Woodhead*Matthew PalmerJim Bulger

TrombonesRob Holliday Robert Burtenshaw*

Bass TromboneRichard McVeigh

TubaBrian Kingsley*

TimpaniMarney O’Sullivan

PercussionGraham HallTim Williams

HarpAisling Ennis

PianoAndrew Booth

KitMatthew Dabs

Electric GuitarDanny Maddocks

Bass GuitarRichard Dodd

Chorus and Orchestra Director:Douglas ScarfeOrchestra Manager: Hattie GarrardLibrary Manager: Andrew Fairley*Librarian: Victoria BellisStage Manager: Christopher LaddsOrchestra Attendant: Jordan SeniorMusic Secretary: Helen Stephens*

* Opera North Company member for 25 years or more

Beatles OpeningMcCartney, Lennon and Harrison

ShineBarlow, Donald, Orange, Owen and Robson

Cry Me A RiverHamilton

Penny Wilson

If Ever I Would Leave YouLerner and Loewe

Company Tenors and Basses

One Day Like ThisGarvey

Brian Fletcher and Company

Keeping The Dream AliveZauner, Briggs, Touchton and Strobel

Softly As I Leave YouShaper and De Vita

Jim Cunliffe and Ensemble

Like A PrayerMadonna

Rachel Stroud, Sarah Jane Foxton,Christine Rowlands, Jude Hill, DavidIsaac, Brian Fletcher and Company

Bohemian RhapsodyMercury

Battle Hymn Of The RepublicHowe and Steffe

Company and Pam Jagger

Dies IraeVerdi

The Lord Is My ShepherdRutter

In TrutinaOrff

Pam Jagger

Fiddler On The Roof MedleyBock and Harnick

Conquest Of ParadiseVangelis

Orinoco FlowEnya and Ryan

Company Sopranos and Altos

This Is The MomentWildhorn and Bricusse

Richard Aldham

For As Long As I Have MusicBesig

You’ll Never Walk AloneRodgers and Hammerstein

Penny Wilson, Ensemble and Company

I Have A DreamAndersson and Ulvaeus

Your Song/It Was Your SongJohn, Taupin and Brooks

Beatles MedleyMcCartney, Lennon

Your SongPart one Part two

EnsembleSoprano 1Dorothy Swallow, Helen Spencer, Rita Roberts,

Pam Jagger, Elizabeth Hawkhead, Diane Kershaw,

Jean Bishop and Margaret Howard

Soprano 2Linda Dredge, Rowena Dobson, Lynne Hegarty,

Jackie Campbell, Michaela Greasley, Helen Duke,

Sarah-Jane Foxton, Marie Dillon, Sally Moore,

Tamsin Martin and Jan Hunter

Alto 1Katie Groves, Christine Rowlands, Janice Weldon,

Suzanne Jones, Jo Hemsworth, Janice Eastwood,

Clare Swindell, Val Tetchner, Maralyn Adey and

Carol Horwood

Alto 2Penny Wilson, Sue Wilson, Christine Flecknoe,

Kathy Lawn, Rita Lindsay, Paula Lister, Barbara

Martin, Christine Bottom and Susan Day

TenorBrenda Adams, David Isaac, John Hurst,

Jim Cunliffe and Peter Duke

BassMark Drummond, Graham Standring, Neil Clarke,

Richard Aldham, Peter Dredge, Mervyn Flecknoe,

Ernest Pollard, Tom Holloway, Chris Folkard,

Adrian Greenwood and Steven Emery

Conquest Of ParadiseVangelis’ ‘Conquest Of

Paradise’ is taken from RidleyScott’s epic 1992 film of the samename. Starring Gérard Depardieu

it tells the story of Columbus’discovery of the New World

and its effect on theindigenous people.

Bohemian RhapsodyReleased in 1975, this Queen

classic is unique in that it doesnot include a chorus. Instead thesong consists of six sections, withabrupt changes in style, tone and

tempo. It also includes over120 vocal tracks layered

together using a 24 tracktape machine.

Our singersBrenda AdamsJudith AdamsMaralyn AdeyPat AinleyJanet AldhamRichard AldhamDe’Anne AmblerAnne AustwickClaire BakerRosemary BallJennifer BalmforthCatherine BarracloughPat BassanoBarbara BedfordBetty BedfordJean BishopAlan BlackSally BlackJoan BlackburnChristine BlomfieldAllan BlueJanet BlueRosalind BodsworthCarolyn BoothChristine BottomSheila BouldAlison BoyeHelen BretonVanessa BridgeMollie BrumfittHetley BurnhamBettie BushMarilyn BushAngela ButcherJulie ButtersPat ByrneAngela CadeMaria CameronNick CameronJudith CarterGaynor ChaplinPauline ChidseyBarbara ClarkNeil ClarkeSheila ClarkeShirley CliffKirsty CobbSusan CooksonRob CopeHelen CourtmanMargaret CouzensDebbie CowlingGraham Croll

Jim CunliffeCatherine DakinDoromie DaviesJenny DavisMarian DavisJohn DawSusan DayGeoff DickinsonVal DickinsonMarie DillonRowena DobsonMilly DonaldsonKaren DouglasBeryl DoyleLinda DredgePeter DredgeMark DrummondHelen DukePeter DukeJane DunneCelia EasthamJanice EastwoodSteven EmeryPauline FarnworthBrenda FinchettClaire FittonSheila FitzgeraldJo FlanneryChristine FlecknoeMervyn FlecknoeBrian FletcherChris FolkardLynne FolkardElizabeth FordHazel FordhamSarah-Jane FoxtonSue FoxtonLiz FranklinChris Gale Sheila GibbsCaroline GibsonNancy GlaisterHelen GraceMichaela GreasleyAdrian GreenwoodLynne GreepRita GriceKatie GrovesPatricia GwynneJenny HaighMarie HallSue HallRaymond Hallam

Colin HallewellCarol HallsworthSusan HallsworthJanet HardwickRaymond HardwickElaine HardyShona HarringtonSally HarrisonWilliam HarrisonPat HartleySheena HastingsElizabeth HawkheadLynne HegartyJo HemsworthDiane HensonRobert HensonAudrey HerrouAnne HeyhoeDavid HeyhoeAbbie HillElaine HillJude HillKath HinchcliffeDenise HirstMaureen HirstChristine HodgsonTom HollowayBarbara HolmesCarol HorwoodMarilyn HoughDerek HowardMargaret HowardDerek HudsonJoan HudsonLisa HudsonRose HudsonJan HunterJohn HurstTricia HutchinsonFreda IllingworthIsabella InmanJean IrvinDavid IsaacBernie JacksonPam JaggerLiz JarrattMavis JohnsonSandy JohnstonSuzanne JonesSue KeenFelicity KennedyMargaret KerinsDiane Kershaw

Pauline KettlewellLindsey KnightSarah LangliJane LarderKathy LawnPatricia LawrenceHelen LaycockJayne LaycockKatie LazenbyJim LeathleyCaroline LedgardHazel LeeRainy LeeValerie LeeDania LeslieEion LindsayRita LindsayPaula ListerVictoria LittlewoodDeborah LongPeter LoweJack LyttleAllison McCrackenAmanda McNicholasPenny MansonVera MarkovicCarol MarshallFay MarshallBarbara MartinTamsin MartinAndrea MasseyJosie MedvedTamsin MellorSally MooreDavid MorlandCatherine MorleyJoan MoseyBrian MunnochMaureen MyersJulie NewellHelen NewmanJanet NewsomeAde NicholsonAlice NicholsonTracy NicholsonJan OddyJudith PaxtonNadine PembertonLynne PickersgillMaryline PineauErnest PollardFreda PollardCarmel Potter

Karen PotterPatricia PrattJean PurcellSandra RawdingMalcolm RobertsRita RobertsTrudi RobertsPauline RobinsonChristine RowlandsHelen RowneyCarole SaulCharlotte SayerLynn ShadfordRuth ShakespeareJulia ShawClare ShoesmithJill ShoesmithLiz SibsonDaniela Simonato

Beverlie SmithGaynor SmithJohn SmithJoy SmithJulie SmithJacqueline SomersideHelen SpencerGraham StandringPatricia StandringAndrina StanislawskiAnne SteadJannine StewartJames StockEvelyn StoreyRachel StroudCarole SullivanBarbara SumroyDorothy SwallowClare Swindell

Catherine TausneyDani TaylorHelen TaylorVal TetchnerPenny TharrattSue ThistlethwaiteSue ThorpSue TimmeRosa TopleySimon UnderwoodSusan WaineLesley WalesChristine WalkerLiz WalkerAlison WarrenJanice WeldonAndrea WellsLisa WellsDorothy West

Alison West-LaySue WhelanSue WhitelawSandra WhitsonGill WildeTony WillettSheila WillisAnn WilsonKim WilsonPenny WilsonSue WilsonYvette WindowsElaine WormwellCathy WrigglesworthSheila WrightCarole YeomansRobin Young

Your SongThis Elton John classic wasoriginally released in 1970 inthe US as a B-side. Due to its

popularity, it eventually replacedthe A-side ‘Take Me To The

Pilot’, becoming a hit inboth the US and

UK charts.

Inspiration teamChristine RowlandsChristine has been singing and dancing since an early

age and has been singing in and choreographing for

adult choirs for over ten years. She was delighted when

Gary asked her to be involved in Inspiration both on

and off stage.

Christine’s other passion is for musical theatre and she

can often be found performing with LAOS at the West

Yorkshire Playhouse and The Grand Theatre, Leeds.

Barbara SumroyMonday nights are choir nights and, as the rehearsal

manager, I love greeting everybody as they come through

the door. Singing is like a drug, you end up wanting more,

especially when you get a comedy double act in the

disguise of Griffiths (Gary) and Booth (Andy). I don’t

know why, but they remind me of Statler and Waldorf

from The Muppets:

Booth: “They aren’t half bad.” (talking about the choir)

Griffiths: “Nope they’re ALL bad.”

Anyway we are always kept chuckling, and that’s what

keeps people coming back! Enjoy the concert as this is

‘Your Choice’!

Jane LarderJane has always enjoyed singing, but it wasn’t until she

met Gary that she had the chance to do more than sing

in the church choir. She looks forward to greeting her

Inspiration family each week and sharing their laughter

and tears.

Alongside many other Inspired singers she will be

joining the Race (Walk?) for Life tomorrow in recognition

of a challenge faced by many past and present

choir members.

Liz GreenNarratorLiz Green is delighted to narrate today’s concert

with Inspiration and The Orchestra of Opera North.

Multi award-winning journalist, radio and television

broadcaster Liz Green is based in Leeds and has

broadcast for the BBC for 15 years. She hosts Liz

Green Live, the lunchtime radio news and current

affairs interactive show, 12pm to 3pm across BBC

Radio in Yorkshire. The show includes One On

One, an hour in conversation with the people who

make Yorkshire what it is.

Liz has just been named Yorkshire Media Personality of the Year by the Yorkshire

Society, an award of which she is very proud.

Liz has broadcast for BBC Radio across the networks and regularly interviews

leading politicians, captains of industry, news makers and commentators as well

as being acknowledged as being a great communicator with her audience.

Her skills as a journalist in the broadcast media have won her the coveted radio

Sony Gold award twice; the highest accolade the industry can offer. Liz was

nominated as Speech Broadcaster of The Year in the 2011 Sony Radio Awards.

She is also a past winner of the Yorkshire Young Achiever Award for Personality

of the Year and was awarded Silver in this year’s Frank Gillard Awards for Radio

Presenter of The Year.

Born in Huddersfield, Liz is a proud Yorkshire woman. A huge fan of Inspiration,

she is honoured to be able to narrate this concert.

She says this: “Community singing at this exceptionally high standard is a pure

joy to hear. Inspiration are remarkable. Combined with The Orchestra of Opera

North, today represents the very best of the arts and the community coming

together, for a very special event. For me, it symbolises the very best Yorkshire

can offer. I am looking forward to the music and the power of these voices very

much. Enjoy the concert!”

You can follow Liz on Twitter @lizgreenlive.

LyricsI Have A DreamI have a dream, a song to singTo help me cope with anythingIf you see the wonder of a fairy taleYou can take the future even if you failI believe in angels, something good in everything I seeI believe in angels, when I know the time is right for meI’ll cross the streamI have a dreamI have a dream, a fantasyTo help me through realityAnd my destination makes it worth the whilePushing through the darkness still another mileI believe in angels, something good in everything I seeI believe in angels, when I know the time is right for meI’ll cross the streamI have a dreamI’ll cross the streamI have a dream

Programme designed by Penny Wilson E: pw@penny-wilson.co.ukProgramme printed by Media Solutions E: info@mediasolutionsplus.co.ukPictures courtesy of Penny Wilson, Rayburn Tours (Francesca Bridges),Michelle Bedell and Yorkshire Post Newspapers.

Thanks to…Thanks as always to everyone who helps with the smooth running of Inspiration.

To Barbara (Sumroy and Sheehan) Jane and Jan, Peter and Linda, Andy (without

whom it wouldn’t be possible), Judith, David, Chris, Penny, Sue (my driver) and of

course Dougie and all at Opera North.

Dies IraeVerdi’s Requiem was

composed in memory of Italianpoet and novelist AlessandroManzoni, whom Verdi much

admired. It was first performedin 1874 to mark thefirst anniversary ofManzoni’s death.