Comments Section
All of the songs were magnificently sung and beautifully choreographed – these girls not only sing splendidly but move well too and the whole effect was highly professional. Many items involved an intermingling of solos and choir which emphasised the immense talents that go to make up this remarkable group of girls.
Paula Snyde
Dear Susan,
I've been meaning to email you ever since that amazing opening ceremony at the O2 – I was so pleased and proud when the Arden Angels were chosen to represent England at the ceremony to welcome the world to WorldSkills London 2011. As an former singer in choirs in Accrington and Clayton-le-Moors and a firm believer in the superiority of the singing in north east Lancashire, I am delighted to say that the Angels did north east Lancashire and England proud!
I hope that everyone enjoyed their trip to London and the chance to perform in the O2 – I am sure you have heard nothing but excellent feedback –and very well deserved too!
Many thanks for helping make the opening ceremony the most memorable one in the history of WorldSkills and for reminding the rest of the UK, and indeed the world, what we can achieve in north east Lancashire – you should all be very proud.
Very best wishes
Michael Osbaldeston | Partnership Director | WorldSkills London 2011
I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to you and the Choir for all your hard work at the Wordskills opening ceremony! Please extend my thanks to the Choir; everyone has commented on what wonderful people they are and they really were a delight to be around.
Harriet Wilkes, Project Manager, Event Production, Grass Roots
Dear Susan,
Congratulations on a wonderful evening at your summer show. We were so impressed by the girls wide repertoire, but also by their dancing, the choreography was superb. The excerpts when the girls showed dramatic ability from "Les Miserables" was worthy of a West End musical. The choir under your direction are great ambassadors for Pendle and I was proud to have my name as a patron on the programme.
Alan Newbould
This is such an exciting choir! You are working overtime on your diction! Blend, balance, dynamic contrasts and word-painting are terrific. The rhythmic drive and enthusiasm is simply infectious! Fantastic communication; this is rich, warm, flawless and evocative singing. Your tone is so mature and you have so much composure. What a BRILLIANT choir!!!
Keith Hewson - Music For Youth festival judge
Many thanks from the Mayoress and me for the marvellously entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable performance given by you and "The Arden Angels" on the occasion of the "Mayor of Pendle's at Home". Everybody enthused about the quality and professionalism. In fact, they still are doing.
Lavish praises is fully justified as I am positive that continued success will be yours. I would be more than pleased - in fact have no hesitation, in recommending you to the most discerning audience.
Your sincerely, Tony Beckett(Mayor of Pendle 2010-11)
Dear Susan and the girls
Can I just say that like everyone else, I thouroughly enjoyed the concert, but I have to mention the highlight for me was the lead singer in "Abide with Me" with her power, emotion and individuality, this is the major memory I will take away tonight.Many thanks
John Webb
...” I loved that! It was effortless and I just love what you’re doing, it really makes me feel comfortable sitting back and being entertained by all your smiley faces...Beautiful arrangement....”
Amanda Holden (ITVs Britain’s Got Talent - Judge 2010)
...”There were some vocal parts which we’re really, really good!....Absolutely beautiful!”....
Simon Cowell (ITVs Britain’s Got Talent - Judge 2010)
...”Like you said, you’re a young choir and we’ve only ever had older ones...I like it!!”
Piers Morgan (ITVs Britain’s Got Talent - Judge 2010)
We had a fantastic time and you looked after us so well!! Your Choir did sooooo well! We were very impressed with how quickly they picked up the songs and how little time we had to spend teaching the harmonies etc! And they did fab in the concert as well - it was great and you should be very proud of them!
Gemma Miller (London Community Gospel Choir)
Please accept my very warmest thanks for your wonderful concert in St. Anne's Church on Saturday night. I send these congratulations because, when I arrived at church this morning, so many people were raving about your singing. 'They were even better than last time ... Oh, we did enjoy it so much. ...'
It was a privilege and a joy to welcome you to St. Anne's again - may you have been aware of the impact that your fine singing made upon all who were there.
John Bertalot (St.Anne’s Church, Fence)
Sue, we have been meaning to write since the fantastic concert at Colne Municipal Hall, in order to express our complete admiration for all your efforts and achievements with the youth choir. The dedication and passion which you so clearly demonstrate to all you meet is inspirational, genuine and heartfelt.
In an age where many people have time only for themselves and see the negative in everything and the positive in nothing we find your venture uplifting, refreshing and invigorating. Our daughter has been exposed to a whole new strand of life, which will help to mould and shape her as she grows, experiences that are unique and far reaching.
For this we thank you and speaking as a person who daily experiences the whole spectrum of human existence I say, ignore those who will frustrate or hinder you, discard any anxieties that may appear, move on from any set backs or disappointments and continue to provide what I genuinely believe is one of the best things to come out of Pendle for years.
Paris sounded great! Neither of us can believe our daughter has been to Paris and sang in some of the greatest landmarks of one of the greatest capitals in the world, that's all down to you and whilst we know you have a committee and their contribution is significant nothing will happen if there isn't a leader. Keep it up!
Parent of a chorister
On our most recent trip to Paris from the U.S. last week my wife and I were privileged to see and hear your marvelous choral group performing at the Luxembourg Gardens. Strolling through the park we were at first drawn by the lovely sound and then captivated by the performance once we located the source, your choir. We were also especially captivated by your conducting of the choir. You inspired a wondrous combination of synchronization, animation and joy. You and the choir truly seemed as one in emanating delight. I hope you will be able to bring the choir to the United States some day.Thank you for the happiness you afforded to all in attendance, and best wishes to you and the choir.
Laurence Rosencrantz (USA)
On behalf of the local committee for Cancer research, I would like to thank you and the girls for such a wonderful concert. The choir is fantastic! The sound they make really does touch the soul and is very addictive – the audience never wants this glorious music to stop.
To achieve such perfection, it is impossible for us to try to guess how many hours of hard work not only by the choir, but also by you, in putting together such a varied programme. Thanking you once again and wishing you and the choir many successes in the future.
Joan Greenwood (Cancer research UK)
I would like to thank you on behalf of the dozen people who came from church for the wonderful concert on Saturday, and pass on their comments having heard the “Arden Angels” for the first time. They were all in total agreement that the concert was “Wonderful, awesome, beautiful, very professional, mature, the soloists being so confident and singing with such feeling”
I particularly liked the voice control in the African lullaby and then your final piece “The Rose”.
Many thanks Susan for your skill and enthusiasm in guiding the choir to such a high standard. They must enjoy the experience too in order to perform as they do.
Wishing you every success in the future
Pat Duckett (Cancer research committee)
"I had the pleasure recently of working with an outstanding young choir, the Arden Youth Choir, based in Nelson, Lancs. Under the dynamic leadership of one time National Youth Choir singer Susan Eames, the singers aged from 8 to 18 were impressive in the unanimity of their performance in a wide range of styles. Sooz teaches some of them individually, which means that their vocal blend and focus is of a high order, but that is only part of the story. What makes the choir special is a feeling of real excitement in music making, which indicates the quality of inspiration which Sooz gives every member of the team. The choir was delightfully open to new ideas, and relished every challenge. They will surely make their mark on the world stage if they keep up this level of development. All success to the Arden Youth Choir!"
Mike Brewer MBE (Conductor of The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain)
Just a note to thank you and the girls so much for your wonderfully professional singing this morning! We had so many lovely comments from listeners who spoke of the quality/harmony and professionalism of your choir - it was fabulous! Please pass on my sincere thanks to everyone involved - and of course to those who took time out to bring the girls to Blackburn etc., and of course to you for organising it all so well. You must be SO proud of the girls - your hard work and enthusiasm is commendable.
Many many thanks and best wishes to you all for a very Happy Christmas and every best wish for a very happy and successful 2009.
Kind regards.
Alison (Radio Lancashire)
We were most impressed when we listened to all of you yesterday in Craven Court in Skipton. It was a very pleasant surprise because we hadn't realised that you were going to be there and we thoroughly enjoyed your singing. You are a splendid choir and a great tribute to your generation. With best wishes for happiness at Christmas and every success in the future, A&M
Girls,I seldom feel moved to write to other competing choirs. You were great!
After hearing you sing at RNCM on 22nd November, I was fortunate to be in the audience for your contest package and, no kidding, I was blown away! The sound you make and the blend are second to none! You must all be really proud of your ability to sing as a single unit; something not all choirs I heard managed. Keep it up. Bravo!
Mick Dargan
Bolton Barbershop Harmony Club.
As a member of Saddleworth Male Voice Choir could I please take this opportunity to say how much I and many of my colleagues enjoyed your performance at the RNCM on Saturday it was breathtakingly magical. The quality of your sound and precision was a joy to listen to which I am sure only comes with a love of, and a total committment to music, which is so refreshing in a group of such young ladies. Long may it last.
With every best wish for the future
Yours in music
Alan Haworth
You blew us away today, I thought you'd won. I think you were terrific and although it was a pleasure for us to win (it must have been very hard to judge the different styles against each other), you should be very proud of yourselves - each and every one of you because you were magnificent and it was a joy and a pleasure to be in the audience to see and hear you. Very best of luck for the future, you will bring happiness into many peoples' lives for years to come. Very well done!
Simon Bond
Cottontown Chorus and Lead of Celebration Quartet
Hi ladies, just like to say what a fantastic performance you presented today at the RNCM. All of us guys at Cottontown Chorus were convinced you were the best group of the day and we also heard other members of the audience saying the same. Your tuning was impeccable, your enunciation was flawless and overall you just blew us all away. Considering you were founded in 2005 you've all done an amazing job in just three years!
You girls ROCK!
Best wishes, Mike Wayne - Cottontown Chorus, Bolton Barbershop Harmony Club
We heard you in Colne last night for the first time and you impressed us very much! Susan, you're doing a great job and the choir is a real credit to you. You all really blew us away, it was really fantastic. We look forward to seeing you perform again some time. Keep up the good work!
June and James Tunnacliffe
Thank you and your wonderful choir and Barbara Budden, for giving us such an outstanding concert in St. Anne's Church on Saturday evening.
You will have appreciated, from the enthusiastic response of the large audience just how much you and your artists (both male and female) thrilled and delighted us. It was a most memorable and joyous and thrilling evening, and we are so very grateful to each and every one of you.
May I say, as one who has also founded choirs (four in fact!) one of which won the national rounds of the BBC's Let the Peoples Sing competition two years running, and another that was rated as one of the top three mixed voice choirs in the USA, that I especially appreciated the subtle and so-effective changes in dynamics, as well as the contrasts in texture. And also the singers' stance and their total concentration throughout. You (and they) are a marvel, and I thank you. And I loved the way that you looked at your singers all the time. Very few conductors do that!
May you go on from strength to strength.
Ever most gratefully,
Dear Susan and the choir,
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for the breathtaking performance at my daughters wedding on Saturday.The sound and the emotion produced from what appears to be a group of schoolgirls is frankly quite amazing. They were stupendous and they are an absolute credit to you. The only complaint I do have is that all the ladies make up was ruined, they were crying too much.
Thank you again,
Micheal Hargreaves
Pure pleasure
In March of this year, the Arden Youth Choir performed a concert for us in St Andrew's Church, Barnoldswick. The choir is comprised of young ladies between the ages of about 10 and 17. We raised over £1,000 for the work of the RNLI and the building was packed.
I had never heard them sing before and was quite unprepared for their level of maturity and professionalism. We hear so many negative stories today about our feckless youth and it was pure pleasure to be in the company of such a talented and committed group.
Under their inspirational conductor, Susan Eames, and accompanist Barbara Budden, they are entered into the BBC Choir of the Year competition in Sheffield next month. What superb ambassadors for Pendle! Please give them your support.
BRENDA HARGREAVES Hon. Secretary, Barnoldswick Branch, RNLI