KING Richard III is to be the subject of a Yorkshire musical, The Shoemaker And The King.

The Bard of Barnsley, Ian McMillan, and Harrogate composer Dr Philip Wilby have collaborated on a choral fable, based on the discovery of Richard's remains in a Leicester car park, that will receive its Yorkshire premiere on October 22 at St Peter's Church, Harrogate.

Ian McMillan will act as storyteller and master of ceremonies at the 7.30pm charity concert, where he will be joined by Dr Wilby on organ and the massed ensembles of St Aidan’s High School, Harrogate.

In the school ranks will be St Aidan’s Junior Choir, Chamber Choir, Brass Band and Community Chorus, a group of parents and staff that also will perform John Rutter’s Gloria.

The St Aidan's Symphonic Orchestra will contribute too, playing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and Gabriel’s Oboe, the theme song from the 1986 film The Mission.

Ian reveals the inspiration for the piece.

“We wanted to set these important recent historical discoveries within a contemporary context and have decided to adopt some features from the old tradition of allegory," he says.

"What, for example, might lie in the earth beneath the king? Perhaps we might learn something about ourselves if we were to see the events of 1485 through the eyes of one of the king’s famed Leicestershire shoemakers?”

Mark Pallant, director of music at St Aidan’s, says: "I was delighted when Philip Wilby proposed this work for us. It is wonderfully approachable music and Ian McMillan’s story is extremely witty. I am sure Yorkshire audiences will delight in this truly Yorkshire musical appreciation of Richard of York.”

Ian McMillan is poet-in-residence for The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC and presents The Verb every week on BBC R3. Dr Wilby was a senior tutor in composition at Leeds University for many years and has been awarded an honorary fellowship by the Royal School of Church Music. He has served as the Black Dyke Band's musical associate for 23 years and is a former St Aidan’s parent.

Tickets are available at £8, concessions £5, from the St Aidan’s High School reception and at staidans.eventbrite.co.uk

Proceeds will be donated to St George's Crypt, Leeds and St Peter’s Breakfast Club.