Ladies on song for a ‘Roses’ victory

Trophy-winning Nelson Ladies’ Choir conductor John Garrett with (from left) Alison Ashworth, Janet Deighton, Margaret Bainbridge and Ann Myers-Brotherston

Nelson Ladies Choir beat Yorkshire opponents in a singing ‘War of the Roses’ at the 2017 Luther Greenwood Memorial music festival.

Conducted by John Garrett, the 40-strong choir beat rivals Penistone Ladies’ Choir by just one point – 169-168 – to win the Schofield-Clegg Trophy in the ladies’ choirs class, with Yorkshire’s Carleton Ladies Choir in third place.

In the cup choral class for all adult choirs, Nelson won the Luther Greenwood Trophy with 172 points, again just one point ahead of Penistone Ladies, with Yorkshire’s Cononley Singers third.
The Nelson choir – who are actually based in Colne and rehearse at St John’s Church – were determined to fight back after being narrowly defeated by Penistone last year, and impressed top adjudicator Marilynne Davies at The Muni, Colne.

Pendle Children’s Choir and Pendle Youth Choir were unopposed in their classes.

Young pianists and singers also showed their skills at the festival. Eighteen-year-old singer Tara Overend took plenty of silverware home to Barrowford, winning four classes and gaining the highest aggregate mark to win the Silverman Shield. Tara and her younger sister Kate, who came second in three classes, both sing with Pendle Youth Choir and take lessons with conductor David Wilkinson.

Other young winners included pianist brothers Aicez and Lance Domingo, from Trawden, pianist Ben Cowling, from Crosshills, singers Aamina Zara Anwar and Abigail Fraser, both from Trawden, each with two firsts, Emma Coulson and Joe Renshaw, both from Colne.