Barnburgh Male Voice Choir

Yorkshire MVC – Pontefract 2025

Pontefract 2025
Galleries

On Friday 30th May 2025, the Yorkshire Male Voice Choir(YMVC), comprising members of Barnburgh MVC, Castleford MVC and The Shiremen, gathered in Pontefract for a long awaited concert with the magnificent MACH4 Male Voice Choir from Austria.

This event had been keenly anticipated since our time with them in their home town of Gumpoldskirchen in 2024.

We arrived at the church of St Giles’ Church to find our guests already rehearsing, giving us a taste, once again, of what was to come.

After a short while the two groups changed places and MACH 4 treated the citizens of Pontefract to a brief impromptu performance in the open air.

Once the entire group of singers entered the church the anticipation reached its height. The YMVC became the, ‘hors d’oeuvre’, for the visitors who entranced the audience with the accomplishment of their singing.

Johannes Dietl, their musical director is truly a magician! Sometimes he only appears to be using one finger to conduct.

“It was a great pleasure once again, to be part of this gathering of men who truly enjoy singing together and show this so readily with their bright smiles and wickedly twinkling eyes. Lack of language on both sides can be easily managed with these two attributes.

The concert was very well received and quickly followed by a good supper and more singing at the Moo Cafe. This is the time, when in a more relaxed atmosphere, relationships are strengthened. The competitive singing element quickly became a ‘no contest’ when MACH4 transported us to the rainforest with their African chanting and sound effects.

What a night!

None of this would be possible without the organisational and persuasive skills of Andris Ugulis, our musical director. Putting together travel arrangements, accommodation, transport and eating requirements for an event like this is not an easy task.