By Una Barry

Singers came from all over Britain to Ilkley for the Bank Holiday weekend, culminating in a free entry concert at All Saints.

Known as The Singing Days Ensemble, their directors Cathy and James Griffett have worked tirelessly for years in Ilkley, and returned from their new home in Carlisle to present us with an extraordinarily varied programme.

There were several highlights, and all were certainly gems in their own right.

Robert de Pearsall’s ‘O who will o’er the downs so free’ was beautifully sung by the men and a piece and composer unknown to me.

Another was Colin Mawby’s ‘Blessèd is he that considereth the poor’ – all the more poignant given the retiring collection for the Mpika Relief Fund in Zambia - working for the relief of hunger and suffering in the heart of Africa. But in the middle of the concert, the organist Michael Murray treated us to an admirable performance of the wonderful ‘Alléluia’ from Langlais’ Triptyque Grégorie, based on the Ascension Day plainsong for the Catholic liturgy.

I say admirable for however Michael managed to bring this off with an organ only half working was just short of a miracle! (Is there a Lottery winner or a multi-millionaire in Ilkley interested in sponsoring a new organ for the future of music in the town?)

The now retired tenor, James Griffett, having had such a long and distinguished international solo career, and founder of the acclaimed Pro Cantiones Antiqua in 1968, conducted the Ensemble so sensitively and with enough direction to bring out the best in all of them and yet not be a distraction.

It was such a shame for all their hard work and with coming so far and wide that on a lovely sunny afternoon the audience was just so thin on the ground.

The Singing Days Ensemble is heading off to Provence in October for its fifteenth week of singing. Further details about this or any other of their events see: cdi@singingdays.co.uk or phone 01228 561099.

Further details about the work and the possibility of giving to Mpika Relief Fund see: www.mpika.org.