Centenary
Celebrating 100 Years of The York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir
For a century, the York Phil has enriched lives with music, passion, and a sense of community. As we mark this milestone with a 2025 concert programme that takes us across North Yorkshire, plus a Gala night celebration in York we celebrate not just our musical achievements, but also the enduring friendships and collaborative spirit that have enriched our journey.
Our Story: From a humble beginning to international success
A handful of men in the front room of a small terraced house wanted to be better singers. From that ambition has grown one of the best choirs in the country. Early days spent rehearsing to an out of tune piano with missing keys did not hold back the climb to international competition success and TV fame by 1975, followed by another 50 years of top level success.
More than just a choir 'The Phil' has always been a community of singers and supporters which has always reached out to work with other choral societies. In the early years it had close friendships with York Old Priory, and Monkgate Methodist choirs and was influenced by the older established York Male Voice Choir.
Those early collaborations have been replaced by a long-lasting friendship with the male choirs in both Münster in Germany and Lochem in the Netherlands, as well as with two locally based ladies' choirs - Harmonia and Jubilate.
Sound Fellows
To celebrate 100 years of song, our own life member Colin Hockridge has written a book that we are very proud to share with you.
In 300 pages, including more than 100 photographs, Sound Fellows describes a choir journey which is as fresh and ambitious now as it was in 1925.
Modern technology allows the story to be enhanced by 20 audio /visual clips dating back to 1958 all accessible by QR codes.
Sound Fellows also seeks to illustrate choral life in the region between 1900-1955 by including extensive tributes to York Old Priory, Monkgate Methodist and York Male Voice Choirs all fine choirs now disbanded, and also a Miscellany chapter of news cuttings.
Priced at £25 plus p&p copies are available at concerts and via choir members. For anyone further away we will endeavour to get a copy to you wherever you live. For all enquires please get in touch with our team.
Colin Hockridge
Here are some comments made in the first week of publication
Centenary Souvenir Programme
A 16 page Centenary Souvenir Programme will be published in May. This will include a snapshot history of the Phil enhanced by audio clips linked by QR codes. It will also give details of the Charity Gala Night to be held in York's Barbican Centre on Sunday 21st September 2025. We will be joined that night by two ladies' choirs, a small female and a male ensembles and a section of the Golden Rail Brass Band.
It also describes of the three local charities benefiting from the concert
Menfulness; North Yorkshire Music Therapy Centre;
and Shine 21
Priced at £2 it will be on sale at concerts through the year.
We can also post you a copy (plus p&p) so for more information please get in touch with the team today.
Centenary Events Review
Saturday the 8th March was the first time that the Phil was introduced on stage as being ‘in their centenary year’. We opened the last evening of the 7 day York Community Choir Festival with a set of 5 numbers. This was the 10th anniversary of this non-competitive festival, which this year attracted 38 choirs with some 1250 performers. Choirs came from as far as Harrogate, Malton, Selby, and Easingwold – a testament both to the event and to the popularity of choral singing. It was a good start to our year of celebrations.
Monday March 17th saw a normal rehearsal night replaced by a musical social. With an audience of family and friends we enjoyed a mix of solos, duets, quartets with the addition of guitars, percussion, Northumbrian pipes and a penny whistle. A slideshow of earlier socials ran during the interval ( thanks to the team for some excellent catering) and the evening ended with the full choir coming together. It was certainly a change from a normal rehearsal as seen in this image of 5 baritones ( including the guitarist) showing their potential.
