THOUGH it is not unknown for a former member to return to sing with a choir, two things are less usual about Michael Ash returning to sing with Richmondshire Choral Society next weekend in Handel's Messiah.

The former pupil of Richmond School, now a professional singer and musician, was a member of both St Mary's Church choir and Richmondshire Choral Society.

At St Mary's in April 2009, while still at school, he sang with the society in the bass section for Messiah under the baton of Kathryn Haworth.

The society's next performance was in April 2013, with the late Peter Collis as conductor, but Mr Ash was by then a student at Durham University and missed the occasion.

At this year's concert on Saturday, May 13, in the same venue, Richmondshire Choral Society is conducted by Edward Seymour, who invited Mr Ash to return as a soloist, this time as counter-tenor to sing the alto solo part.

Choir members had asked for a counter-tenor, having had that voice singing the solo in 2009, rather than the more usual female contralto or mezzo-soprano.

Other soloists are also hand-picked by Mr Seymour, himself a former soloist and member of cathedral choirs, now director of music at Ripon Grammar School.

Richmondshire Choral Society performs Handel's Messiah at four-year intervals in the spring with a professional orchestra. This year the players are from the Ripon-based Mowbray Orchestra playing as Richmondshire Baroque Orchestra. Rehearsal accompanist, Andrew Christer, provides the keyboard continuo.

For more information see richchoral.org.uk or phone 01325 374112.