A choir from Staffordshire are celebrating after sweeping the board at the inaugural Midlands Choir of the Year competition, organised by Lichfield Festival as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
Cor Bach from Newcastle-under-Lyme beat off five rivals in a concert at Lichfield Cathedral to lift the first Midlands Choir of the Year trophy and were announced as winners of the audience vote too.
The 9-strong male choir impressed the jury with their renditions of Vive L’Amour, Lowlands and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
Garry Boote of Cor Bach said, “The boys from Cor Bach are absolutely delighted to have been crowned as 2022 Lichfield Festival Midlands Choir of the Year! We were overwhelmed to have been not just the adjudicators’ critical choice, but also the popular choice in the audience vote.
“Wow, what a privilege for us to be part of such a stunning celebration of song and singing, taking part with such wonderfully talented fellow competitors too!” The group received a cash prize of £1000 and an invitation to sing at the 2023 Lichfield Festival as well as a further prize of £500 as winners of the audience vote.
Lichfield Festival Director, Damian Thantrey said, “The standard was incredibly high across the board and I didn't envy the Judges – Patrick Craig, Cathy Lamb, Colin Walker and Kate Romano – having to pick a winner. The hard work that had clearly gone into each choir's performance was really inspirational! I'll be thrilled to invite Cor Bach to perform in the 2023 Festival before the Competition comes back again in 2024."
The competition was open to amateur, adult singing groups of all types and musical genres from across the Midlands region through a recorded entry round, live semi-finals and the final which took place in Lichfield Cathedral on 10 July.
