A NORTH Yorkshire girls' school choir makes its television debut next month, with music ranging from a stirring Zulu chant to traditional hymns.

Members of the chapel choir of Queen Mary's school at Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, were filmed for the hour-long TV programme Sunday Morning at St Mary's church, Masham, yesterday.

The show is due to be broadcast nationally on November 26.

Led by the school's director of music and conductor, Mr Nicholas Carter, the theme of the programme is praise. The girls sang four traditional hymns and two anthems, one of which was the dramatic Zulu piece Siyahambra.

The 24-strong choir was invited to take part in the programme by Mr Martin Dales, secretary of the Royal School of Church Music in North and East Yorkshire, who is helping co-ordinate the programme for Anglia Television. Mr Dales also accompanied the choir on the organ.

He said: "When I was approached by Anglia, I immediately thought of Queen Mary's chapel choir. It is well known across the region that the standard of their music is excellent and that they are very professional, which was an ideal match for the programme."

The choir has an enviable record of achievement; the girls are regular winners of the Harrogate music festival and last year won the under-16s' section and gained an honours award in the under-19s.

As well as regularly singing at evensong at Ripon Cathedral and performing concerts for charity, the choir is producing a CD of its music to mark the school's 75th anniversary