This year’s Festival of Remembrance is for the Mayors Charity The Royal British Legion and as guests, The Band of the Yorkshire Regiment welcome performances from Halifax Young Singers, winners of the Mrs Sunderland Competition Choir aged 19 and under, Rastrick High School Junior Choir, winners of the 14 and under Choir and Lindley Junior School Choir current winners of the Songs of Praise junior choir of the year. We also have the Pipes from The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Association featuring in Highland Cathedral, Laser and Light special effects from The Switch Entertainment as well as our very own Black Light Drum Display.
We will be featuring music from West End in “Wicked” and “Les Miserables”, Benedictus from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins which was premiered in 2000, climbed into the classical FM hall of fame and remains the nation’s favourite piece of contemporary music. Southern Hymn, a work of rich harmony and powerful emotional builds, it bases itself on works of a similar genre such as Shenandoah and Amazing Grace and Musician Taneli Clarke sees the premiere of his sublime clarinet solo Mists over Maakeski.
We also feature Resplendent Glory by Rossano Galante who has recently written for the Wolverine and The Fantastic Four as well as Alfred Reed’s fiery El Camino Real, the music is based on generations of Spanish flamenco guitarists, whose fiery style and brilliant playing have captivated millions of music lovers throughout the world, El Camino Real usually refers to the 600-mile California Mission Trail that stretches from San Diego San Francisco as well as music from the film, Gettysburg. This promises to be an evening of high emotion and superb entertainment with a fitting tribute to the Nations Armed Forces in a Festival of Remembrance.
Mayor of Kirklees Cllr Jim Dodds said “I have chosen the RBL because I served 35 years in the Royal Signals, joining as a 15 year old. The Royal British Legion needs £100m each year to look after not only ex-service personnel but their families also that have fallen on hard times. It is a very sad fact that today in Great Britain there are 9000 ex-service personnel living rough because of their service on our behalf. They have fought our wars we must now fight their battles.”