MINEHEAD Middle School Choir won the coveted Priscilla Hodgson Shield at Taunton Festival of the Arts.

It was the school’s fourth year competing in the junior choirs class, for aged 12 and under –and this was its first-time win.

Minehead’s 23-strong choir sang in four parts for the first of their songs and three parts for the second, and they were up against the much bigger Taunton Prep School Choir, Wellington Chamber Choir and Leweston School Chapel Choir.

The Minehead choir sang Music on the Waters by Jonathan Dove and The Rhythm of Life by Dorothy Fields and Cy Coleman (arranged by Roger Emerson).

Adjudicating the competition was Frith Trezevant, who teaches at the Royal College of Music and St Paul’s Girls’ School in London as well as teaching in Bristol. Frith has worked with numerous choirs over the years including the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

Minehead Middle School Choir was established four and a half years ago by Angela Morecroft and Sarah-Jane Cross and has sung every year in the school’s summer concert at the Regal as well as performing at Dunster By Candlelight and other events.

Angela and Sarah-Jane would like to thank the school for its support, and head of music Sebastien Crossley for championing the choir and making the annual trip to the Taunton Festival possible.

Its next public performance will be at the Middle School Summer Concert at the Regal Theatre next term when the programme will include the choir’s winning songs.