Whitworth Community High School Choir Triumphs in Rochdale Music Competition
Whitworth Community High School has secured the prestigious Rochdale Music Service High School Choir of the Year title, thanks to two outstanding musical performances. The choir, comprising approximately 20 students from Years 7 to 11, impressed adjudicators with their emotional delivery and harmonious blend.
Recording and Rehearsing for Success
In December, the choir recorded ‘Mary Did You Know’ by Pentatonix, a song they described as not a typical Christmas carol but rather an emotional, gospel-style piece. For the final round held at the Salvation Army in Rochdale, they rehearsed ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay and a medley from the musical Wicked.
Isabelle Bostock, aged 13, explained the selection process: “Rochdale Music Service went through the entries and five were selected for the final.” The Coldplay song allowed the choir to showcase harmony and emotion, while the Wicked medley enabled them to explore presentation, including acting out some lyrics.
A Supportive Competitive Atmosphere
Lilah-Rose Craven, also 13, highlighted the unique atmosphere of the competition: “When you think of a competition, you think of a really tense situation, and yes this was a competition but we were all supporting each other.” The Whitworth choir faced strong competition from Rochdale Music Service, Cardinal Langley RC High School from Middleton, and Holy Family RC and CE College in Rochdale.
Isabelle noted, “I thought everybody was pretty good. We were probably the biggest choir there and we had high expectations.” This school year, the choir has seen increased participation, attracting several boys to weekly Friday after-school rehearsals, with Miss Genty assisting in preparation.
Standout Performance and Adjudicator Feedback
Alice Kowal, 14, emphasized their distinctive approach: “I feel we were very different to the other choirs because we didn’t just sing the songs we also presented them, especially the second medley from Wicked when we acted it.” While adjudicators deliberated, all singers performed two unrehearsed songs, ‘A Million Dreams’ and ‘Unscripted’, fostering a sense of community.
Lilah-Rose reflected on this experience: “Although we had never met the people before, or sung together, we all felt like a big family and it was so heartwarming.” The Whitworth Choir scored an impressive 47 out of 50 points, with adjudicators praising their excellent repertoire start, good harmonies, and well-blended voices.
They specifically commended the alto section for contributing to a ‘superb balance’, with dynamics enhancing expression. Alice, who previously won a GirlGuiding talent competition, is now setting two of her own songs to music and hopes to attend a week-long music summer school in Huddersfield.
