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Performers Announced for the People’s Music Hall Concert to Celebrate the Re-Opening of St George's Hall

The line-up for the People’s Music Hall event to celebrate the re-opening of the historic St George’s Hall in Bradford after a major refurbishment has just been announced – and it includes some of Bradford’s oldest, much-loved local groups and performers.

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The People’s Music Hall event on Sunday 2 June will showcase the city’s unique home grown talent in a wonderful evening of music, dance and song - giving everyone the chance to celebrate the reopening of the magnificent St George’s Hall at 1853 prices.

Adam Renton, General Manager Bradford Theatres, said:

“St George's Hall opened in 1853 and was the first grand public building in the city. It was conceived as a place where the communities of Bradford could gather to be inspired by the world’s best music and entertainment. The venue continues today to serve its original purpose to provide “thoroughly good concerts” with its exceptional acoustics and intimate atmosphere. The People’s Music Hall event will be a very special evening of live entertainment and celebration and it promises to be a night to be remembered!”

The event will include a performance by the City of Bradford Brass Band led by Musical Director Lee Skipsey, The past few years have been an exciting time for the band, seeing them compete in the National Championship Finals at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017, winning at Holme Valley Contest 2018, winning Brass at the Guild 2019 and reigning champions 2 years running at Brass Factor. They were honoured last year to be part of Black Dyke Conductor’s workshop at Leeds Town Hall, appear in the Welcome to Yorkshire garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower, appear on an Emmerdale special show and currently have their 3rd album titled Pageantry for sale.

There will be a chance to see Katak dance from Kala Sangam an intercultural arts hub specialising in South Asian arts and culture which aims to reflect the diversity of contemporary Britain, and Dance United Yorkshire, led by Artistic Director Helen Linsell, a Community Interest Company, with a vision to produce high quality contemporary dance performances across Yorkshire that engage members of the public who would not traditionally encounter this art form, as well as attracting knowledgeable dance audiences.

Bradford Friendship Choir, a joyful singing sanctuary in Bradford, open to all kinds of people, that focuses on welcoming and supporting refugees and people seeking asylum, and on celebrating our diversity through the power of song will also be on stage, and later Tranquil Productions, a company founded in 2004 by
Bradford’s talented breakdancer, Lloyd Thompson (known as Tranquil) will also entertain the audience. Tranquil now teaches and performs all over the world, including Miami and Boston in America, Croatia, Belgium, Paris, Belfast and Dublin.

Buttershaw St Paul’s Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, which held its inaugural meeting in April 1932, and continues to impress audiences to this day, will also perform at The People’s Music Hall event. After presenting shows at St Paul’s Primary School, the group moved to the Library Theatre in 1978, and later made St George’s Hall its new home in 1991 giving the fabulous Die Fledermaus.

Bradford Festival Choral Society, founded in 1856, will be part of the re-opening celebrations too. The society has worked with the outstanding musicians of the day including conductors Edward Elgar, Charles Parry, Charles Halle, Malcolm Sargent, Peter Maxwell Davies and composer John Rutter. Still performing at least four concerts a year, the choir has been enjoying a revival under the baton of its young and dynamic Musical Director Thomas Leech.

Off stage, there will be activities and mini performances from other bands and groups such as the youth band of Mind the Gap, Jez Colbourne, and members of Bradford Literature Festival in the foyer and front of house areas of St George’s Hall before the show and during the interval.

The major refurbishment of St George’s Hall has been made possible by funding from Bradford Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. It included major works to the roof, windows, electrics and stone work. The front-of-house areas have been increased, and seating upgraded to improve sight lines and comfort. As well as physical improvements to the building, the HLF project has made archive materials about the history of the Hall more accessible and there are now unique displays that weave along all four levels of the venue to showcase over 200 archive items, tickets and signed posters from the last 166 years.