The sound of Christmas carols filled a popular York venue as a community concert returned for its 65th year.
York’s Annual Community Carol Concert was held at the Barbican on Sunday (December 17).
This year the concert raised money for the Snappy Trust – dedicated to helping children and young people with wide ranging disabilities – after being nominated by The Press as its chosen charity.
A near capacity audience at York Barbican put their Christmas shopping on hold for the concert.
Welcomed by the Shepherd Group Youth Band playing many Christmas favourites as they entered the auditorium, York Stage School then opened the concert with the traditional Once in Royal David’s City.
Musical director Mike Pratt conducted the community carols, along with Track 29 Ladies Close Harmony Chorus, and Badger Hill Primary School Choir performing both old and new festive classics.
York’s Steve Cassidy performed a Christmas medley with the joint choirs along with the audience as snow fell onto the Barbican stage.
An event highlight was when over 40 children – of all ages – from the audience came on stage and sung Jingle Bells to be greeted with a fleeting visit from Father Christmas who presented each child with a small present to take home.
Joint hosts, Adam Tomlinson and Rev Andrew Foster co-ordinated the afternoon programme which included a moving tribute to former president and musical director John Warburton, who died earlier this year aged 90.
A montage of John’s 39 appearances at the community carol concert was displayed on screen as While Shepherd’s Watched was sung by everyone to the Yorkshire anthem of On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at – one of John’s favourite renditions.
A spokesperson for the carol concert said it was a “wonderful afternoon” and thanked everyone for their support on the day.
“What a wonderful afternoon,” they said.
“We are so grateful to all those who performed on stage but also to the audience who helped create a lovely festive atmosphere in the Barbican. A cracking start to Christmas.”
Funds raised from the event will be shared equally between the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of York’s Christmas Cheer Fund and the Snappy Trust.
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From 1986 The Press decided to choose a different charity to benefit each year from the festive concert. Since then, numerous local charities have received thousands of pounds in donations.
The concert followed the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of York’s Christmas Cheer Receptions on Tuesday, December 5, at the Assembly Rooms, in Blake Street.
As The Press reported, hundreds of the city’s older residents attended the event to spread Christmas cheer.
They were the first receptions to be held for three years, with Covid preventing previous events from going ahead.
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