STUDENTS at a school with a growing reputation for its choral performances have released a debut Christmas album.

Around 100 talented singers from Ripon Grammar School’s five choirs joined together to record the ‘O Holy Night’ CD.

The album was recorded at Ripon Cathedral and features choral classics such as Silent Night and A Babe is Born.

Choral music is soaring in popularity at Ripon Grammar School, which up until 2014 only had two choirs.

Players from the school’s Under-13 rugby team even recently rushed back from a match to leap on stage, while still wearing their muddy kits, to perform at the school’s popular Autumn Concert.

A number of choir members have gone on to take up choral scholarships at Durham, London and Oxford universities while one recent leaver made history when she became the first female choral scholar at Durham Cathedral.

The school’s head of music Edward Seymour, said he hoped the CD, which has been funded by the Friends of Ripon Grammar School, would be a hit with parents and the wider community: “Everyone loves Christmas music and the CD is a great way of showing our choirs off at their very best,” he said.

“It is also about being part of a living tradition both for the school and the cathedral. The CD costs £8 from the school on 01765-602647.