CompetitionsRecent competition newsMrs Sunderland Competition 2024The Mrs Sunderland festival was a wonderful experience. Over 5000 performers, over 120 classes, 5 workshops and live concerts. We entered three classes: - Local Choirs – we achieved second place, Adult/Mixed Aged Female Voice Choir we were joint second, and finally the well-attended Choir Programme class. The choir worked hard on all the pieces, with excellent support and guidance from our wonderful professionals, Caroline Hallam (Director) and Sue Ogden (Accompanist). Our repertoire this year included:
 Eskdale Festival of the Arts – National Choir Day 2023The ladies competed at this festival on Saturday 15th April, it was a great opportunity to see and listen to other local choirs. Our repertoire this year included:
 Mrs Sunderland Competition 2019The 130th Mrs Sunderland festival was a wonderful experience. Over 4000 performers took part in four workshops, three concerts and over a hundred classes for vocals, piano, instrumentals, choirs, speech and drama. The choir was again on top form and won first prize in the newly created Christmas and Festive Pieces Class for adult choirs, for which they received the 'Daphne Thorpe Trophy' (a new trophy which had never been presented before). They also gained second place in the Performance Class. This was a fitting finale to our musical director, Sarah Ogden’s hard work and dedication over nine years with the choir, as it was her last competition in charge before moving on to concentrate on her solo career for which we wish her all the best. Our repertoire this year included:
 Eskdale Festival of Arts 2017On 8th April 2017 the ladies competed at the Eskdale Fesitval of Arts National Choir Day, winning the ‘Ladies’ Choir’ class to regain their trophy from 2015! It was a beautiful, sunny day in Whitby and the ladies were in fine voice. There was a high standard of competition from 13 other choirs who were adjudicated by Barbara Lowe and the ladies also were placed 3rd in ‘Songs from the Shows’. Class details:
    Eskdale Festival of Arts - Saturday 9th April 2016After last year’s hat trick we knew we had a tough challenge on our hands this time around. How could we possibly achieve three 1st prizes again? Unfortunately we couldn't but alas it wasn't that we didn't try hard.
'What a dream day - 'A Hat Trick'Denby Dale Ladies Choir brought home the silver on Saturday 11th April 2015, in fact three silver cups, first prizes from the Eskdale Festival of Arts National Choir Day at Whitby Pavillion. The choir beat off some very experienced and accomplished choirs with encouraging comments from the adjudicator, Mr Jeffrey Wynn Davies, who said that Denby Dale Ladies gave him every detail which was on the music score, including diction, musical detail, theatrical and stage presence. The choir was conducted by the Musical Director, Sarah Ogden, who is herself an acclaimed soprano soloist. The accompanist was Sue Ogden (Sarah's Mum) The classes achieved were:
This success follows on from when the choir took part in the Mrs Sunderland Competition February 2015, including being invited, for the 4th year running, to take part in the prestigious Gala Concert in Huddersfield Town Hall.  Mrs Sunderland - 27th February 2016We sang with much gusto at the competition, giving our best voices but it wasn't to be. Unfortunately, no prizes this time around as there was some very strong competition and even though we gave of our best, we didn't impress the adjudicator!! Even Gill's belly solo on the piano didn't sway him our way either. We did get some good feedback though and received 'Commended and two Distinctions'. Our repertoire this year included:
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