A SCHOOL singing group hit a high note by becoming North-East Secondary School Choir of the Year in a hotly-contested competition final held at Durham Cathedral.

More than 40 students from Hummersknott Academy, in Darlington, formed the winning choir, which was conducted by the school’s Head of Music, Amy Clark-Davies, and accompanied by music teacher, Cameron Leckie.

They performed a winning rendition of James Bay’s Hold Back the River at the event final, which was held as part of the annual North East Vocal Festival, organised by Durham Music Service, and which saw secondary school choirs from all over the region go head-to-head.

Mrs Clark-Davies said: “I’m incredibly proud of the progress the students have made over the last few years and of their commitment to the choir, which has absolutely paid off for them.

“They were so excited to be there, and to be taking part. They felt truly privileged to be in the finals, and to be able to sing in such a beautiful space as Durham Cathedral.

“They really rose to the occasion and put their all into their performance. They decided they were there to win, and that’s exactly what they did.”

This marked the first time the Hummersknott choir has won the contest, despite previous strong showings, including in 2020 when they made it to the final round but failed to place.

To qualify for the final round, the choir had to submit a video performance and sing live against rival choirs in previous rounds. This final act also featured solo performances by two students: Year 9 Jack Machin and Year 11 Robyn McKend.

Katie Hibbard, Darlington area manager for Durham Music Service, said: “I have enjoyed seeing Hummersknott Choir grow in every sense of the word over the last few years. Despite Covid and many other obstacles, singing at Hummersknott has gone from strength to strength and they are making an incredible sound.

“It is lovely to see that being in a choir is important to these young people, and to see pupils from Year 7 up to Year 11 all singing together!"

The winners were judged by Anne Besford, chief executive of National Youth Choirs Great Britain, and Louis Wilkinson, Assistant Manager of Music at Durham University, who named Hummersknott Choir and Kings Priory School, in Tynemouth, as joint winners.

James Keating, executive principal of the Hummersknott Trust, said: “This latest triumph is a fantastic achievement for these students.

“They and Mrs Clark-Davies have put an enormous amount of effort into the choir, and I’m overjoyed to see it so deservedly paying off.”