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| Choir seeks disability grant | |
|  | | Keele Bach Choir with Helen Burrell (4th from left) |
| | A classical music choir from North Staffordshire is trying to make it easier for disabled music lovers to enjoy the experience of live concerts. |
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| | Are you a classical music lover? Can you drive a car or hop on a bus to get to a concert?
If so, you are very fortunate compared to disabled music lovers, who usually have to factor in costly taxi fares and possibly a carer's transport and ticket costs, on top of the price of their own concert tickets.
Small wonder then that for those on disability living allowance, an evening of cultural entertainment is often a rare luxury. Local musicians from Keele would like to change all this.
Keele Bach Choir, one of the premier small choirs in the Midlands, is seeking an Arts Council grant to cover transport and ticket costs for disabled music lovers and their carers.
A Sea Symphony
The first performance earmarked for the grant is ‘A Sea Symphony’ which takes place at the Victoria Hall in Hanley on Friday June 13th at 7.30pm.
The choir is urging people to get in touch to support the proposed initiative.
Keele Bach Choir member Helen Burrell, who is herself disabled, explained:
“There are so many barriers for disabled arts lovers to overcome - transport worries, getting out in the evenings and the cost of the tickets, to name but a few.
"We would like to remove some of these barriers and encourage people to come to our wonderful concert, so that they can start participating more in the social and cultural activities that everyone else takes for granted.”
Keele Bach Choir will be joined by Keele Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and the Charing Cross Chamber Choir from London.
Matthew Willis
All the choirs involved are under the artistic direction of dynamic young conductor Matthew Willis, and they will be joined by members of the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra.
The internationally acclaimed singing star James Rutherford of the Welsh National Opera will be performing the baritone solo and Keele graduate Karen Radcliffe will be singing the soprano solo.
This will be a real treat for all music lovers - for reasons of scale and difficulty, 'A Sea Symphony' is rarely performed, so the massed ranks of three choirs and two orchestras will be a feast for the senses.
So don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
If you live in the Staffordshire area and would like more information about this proposed initiative, please get in touch with Sarah Graham on 01785 281011 or by e-mail on [email protected]
To book tickets for 'A Sea Symphony', call the Victoria Hall Box Office directly on: 01782 213800 | | | |
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