‘THE PARTING of the Red Sea’ brought a recent Steeton Male Voice Choir concert to a close.

The men of the choir split into two to allow the audience to see Otley Brass Band during the curtain call.

Both groups had performed together at Selby Abbey to raise money for the Selby Council chairman’s chosen charity.

The concert raised £2,500.

Choir spokesman Eric Parker said: “The Otley Band were wearing their new uniforms and looked superb.

“The combination of two Yorkshire music groups wowed the audience including the Lord Lieutenant’s deputy and the Bishop of Selby.

“This was a great concert made even better by the abbey having to bring more chairs into a nave in order to seat everyone.”

Steeton Male Voice Choir and Otley Brass Band officials are working together to plan another joint concert next year.

The award-winning choir’s next performance will be at Baildon Methodist Church this Saturday at 7.30pm to celebrate the church’s 125th anniversary.

The choir, which has already performed in Ilkley, Steeton, Cross Hills and Halifax this year, have a busy spring and summer before taking a month off in August.

Upcoming concerts include Hetton Methodist Church on May 9, Cullingworth Village Hall on May 23, Ulverston Methodist Church on July 18 and Holy Trinity Church in Cowling on September 12.

There will be a joint concert with the Dalesman Singers at St Andrew’s Church, Skipton, on July 4, and the choir’s annual concert on October 10 at King’s Hall, Ilkley, with guests the City Of Bradford Brass Band.

The choir will tour Warwickshire from June 5 to 7, including a performance at Warwick Castle and concerts with the Coventry and Kidderminster male voice choirs.

The choir will travel further afield in the autumn, performing at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire on October 17, and the Royal Albert Hall on November 14 as part of the Festival Of Brass And Voices.

There will be an afternoon performance at the Octagon club in Sandbeds on November 22, and the traditional end of year concert at Holy Trinity Church in Skipton on December 12.

The choir has already arranged several concerts for 2016. Anyone interested in booking the choir should email bookings@steetonmvc.co.uk.

Tickets for this Saturday’s Baildon concert cost £9. E-mail chris.flecknoe@blueyonder.co.uk or call 01274 598221 to book tickets.

Visit steetonmvc.co.uk for further information about the choir.