Music exerts a powerful influence on us all. Singing can boost memory, build resilience, lighten your mood, reduce anxiety and depression, improve energy levels, improve your response to pain, and enhance your confidence and social well being.

But is this the reason why a choir of men keep singing for 100yrs! What keeps them together, what motivates them to organise themselves into a band of men giving performances spanning 100yrs?

I am in my 4th year as Chairman of the York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir, from coming out of COVID to celebrating our Centenary in 2025. In this time I have grown to love my role and recognise that it is more than a hobby. It is a vocation and privilege to be able to contribute to the choirs ongoing legacy adding to the musicality of our great City so rich in talent and opportunity for the creative Arts.

Yet, I cant help feeling we have not shouted loud enough as to the benefits of joining our choir as we still need to grow in order to safeguard our future for another 100 yrs!

So, I am opening up a dialogue to the men of York and surrounding areas. Please tell me, if you enjoy singing but have no experience in singing in a choir, what would it take for you to come down and sit in one of our rehearsals on a Monday night? You don't have to have had choral experience or even be able to read music.

You will be provided music sheets of course, sit next to an experienced member that can help you along and are under no pressure at all in having to sing individually or even to perform with us. Singing in a performance can be done when you feel you are ready, some take months, some take a year or so before they join us on stage. Yet, the feel good factor of being part of the unique sound of a male voice choir in itself will enrich your evening and if you stay and join, it will enrich your life. We have members who joined over 50 yrs ago and enjoy describing how they and their family have grown with the choir and have experienced so many wonderful occasions with us. The following are a few quotes from members as to why they joined;

‘I have always enjoyed singing in church but never thought I would be good enough to join such a great choir until a friend encouraged me to come down and now I recognise its the best thing I ever did for me and my family.’
‘To be honest I was in a bit of a rut and depressed after my wife died then someone suggested I give the York Phil a try and cant believe how much it has helped my mood and I am so grateful for the companionship.’

‘I love singing and have had experience in other choirs but wanted to find a choir where I could develop and express my abilities to the full.’ 
‘Being a younger member I was a bit nervous about singing with men most of who are older than me but they have made me very welcome and I love that I can cross the generation gap!’

‘I wanted to invest in something that will enrich my retirement and enhance my social life - it certainly does that!’
‘I just wanted to sing, and was surprised when I did sing with the York Phil I experienced goose bumps, emotion and felt great.’

There are many reasons why men join and stay with us - we are more than a choir, we are a community of singers who recognise the effect our music can have on ourselves and our audience. Many of our followers are now Friends and support us at every occasion - the loyalty and involvement of many is something we are very grateful for.

At one level we are an award winning, internationally recognised choir with partners in the Netherlands and Germany. Our patron is the Lord Mayor of York. We have represented the UK at international festivals and have appeared on TV and radio and have a number of professional recordings. Our history is described in a book titled Sound Fellows - The Story of York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir by Colin Hockridge ( new edition to be published for our Centenary year ). We will be singing at The Barbican in a gala concert with 6 other choirs celebrating our Centenary on the 21st Sept 2025.

We are blessed with a professional music team who direct and coach us and are well organised by a committee adhering to all rules governed by us being a registered charity.

However, at the end of the day, we are just a group of men who want to sing together.

If you want to find out more then please contact us through this website using the button at the bottem of this page.

We have here examples of us singing in concert, a film all about us and details about our forthcoming Christmas events or just turn up at the The Citadel, Gillygate, York YO31 7EA at 7:15pm Monday nights. If you fancy hearing us informally with a drink in your hand then 9:45pm after rehearsals, some us have an informal sing in The Snikkleways pub in Goodramgate after rehearsals.

So men - let me know - whats stopping you? Why wouldn’t you?