BRADFORD Festival Choral Society will be combining 16th century love songs with 21st century composers including a celebration of the suffragette movement in its centenary year.

On Saturday, June 9 at 7.30pn at All Saints Parish Church in Bingley the choir will sing songs of love, lust and despair by famous composers such as Dowland and Thomas Campion who were truly the music stars of their day. They will be joined by Peyee Chen a soprano who has sung at the BBC Proms and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

Also on the menu will be cool music by Eriks Esenwalds which is sonorous and melodic and has been loved by audiences who have heard the choir sing it before.

And to continue the modern theme marking 100 years of women voting you will be able to hear the choir sing the Pankhurst Anthem with words and music by Helen and Lucy Pankhurst. The work was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 which has encouraged choirs to perform it.

Maggie Eisner, choir’s chairperson said: “ I hope that the wide range of music we are performing will attract lots of people to this concert which celebrates our relationships with one and another and celebrates a momentous moment in our history.”

Tom Leech, the choir’s acclaimed musical director said: “This programme gives the choir the chance to show how sensitively they can sing, and the wonderful surroundings of the Bingley Parish Church will contribute to a memorable evening.”

As part of the choir’s aim to bring choral music to as wide an audience as possible all under 18s are free. The choir also supports the Bradford Friendship choir which provides refugees and asylum seekers the chance to get together and sing.

Tickets are available on the door or from www.bradfordfestivalchoralsociety.org.uk and cost £16, £14 concessions and a group rate of 5 for £60.