Uniting Through Music: Highlights from Warrington's First Concert Series
Warrington recently played host to its first dedicated jazz and music festival, Warrington Concert Series, marking a new chapter in the town's cultural life. Our landmark event featured a series of captivating performances, from original jazz compositions to classical improvisations, highlighting the diverse musical talent in the area. The festival's success was evident in the enthusiastic response from audiences and the sense of community that pervaded each concert.
Here's a closer look at the highlights of this remarkable celebration of music at our debut event.
Heartfelt Thanks
First and foremost, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible performers, whose exceptional talent made the first Warrington Concert Series truly memorable. Our deep gratitude also goes to our dedicated volunteers, our wonderful audience, and the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, whose funding supported live classical and jazz music in Warrington.
Concert Highlights
Warrington’s First Community Concert
In partnership with Warrington Music Studios, we were delighted to deliver Warrington’s first community concert. It was inspiring to see the brilliant range of musicians of all ages, from 7-year-olds to adults, showcasing a wide variety of music, including original arrangements, jazz, classical, and pop. Everybody supported, applauded, and encouraged the playing of all types of piano, irrespective of age or ability. Our pianists had the unique opportunity to perform on a professional Bechstein C234 grand piano supplied by Bechstein Manchester, which added a touch of grandeur to the event. In addition to an array of pianists, we also welcomed cello, brass, and vocal performances, along with both solo and duet acts, providing a wonderful afternoon of music for all involved.
This concert was a true display of hard work and talent by all participants, highlighting the supportive and inclusive spirit of our community.
An Evening of Jazz with Les Chisnall & Iain Dixon
A standout moment from the festival was our sold-out Evening of Jazz, featuring Les Chisnall on piano and Iain Dixon on clarinet. Les shared many insightful perspectives with our audience including:
“Improvisation isn't for the reserve of jazz musicians. Classical music also has a rich tradition of improvisation that has kind of got lost along the way.”
Les and Iain demonstrated this beautifully with their interpretation of Handel's Aria ‘Lascia Ch’io Pianga’. Traditionally, opera singers would perform the melody as written by the composer and then improvise on the repeat. This performance captivated the audience, transporting them to another time with its elegance and spontaneity.
Speaking about the performance, one audience member said "I was transported. Iain Dixon and Les Chisnall couldn't be beaten." – We couldn’t agree more!
An Evening at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery
The closing evening of the Spring Edition of the Warrington Concert Series was an exclusive performance of an original composition, "King George VII," by freelance composer and Royal Northern College of Music student Will Sharland. Performed by George Blakesley (bass clarinet) and Jonathon Fisher (piano), and attended by the composer himself, this new work was beautifully brought to life at the Warrington Museum & Art Gallery.
If you missed it or couldn’t be with us, you can listen to the performance here.
Audience Feedback and Future Plans
We’ve received a wealth of positive feedback following our recent concerts, which has been instrumental in refining and planning future events. Here’s a snapshot of what our audience had to say:
What impression did the music leave on you?
"Stirring, emotional, inspirational."
"Inspired to practice more!"
"Transported. Iain Dixon and Les Chisnall couldn't be beaten."
"It was beautiful and performed to a high standard. I felt happy."
"Wonderful memories and they are all so extremely talented and skilled in their commitments to music."
"We heard pieces that we did not know and we enjoyed both concerts we attended and left eager to hear more."
What did you enjoy about the concert(s) you attended?
"Superb musicianship in all five concerts."
"Hearing familiar pieces in a new light and being introduced to unfamiliar pieces."
"Ability to chat with musicians."
"Local quality opportunity to enjoy classical music."
"Fabulous performances from talented musicians."
"Well organised, good venues, surpassed expectations."
"I loved it. Great venue with excellent acoustics. Very talented and accomplished musicians. Welcoming organisers."
"Value for money: everything including the organisation excellent."
"Can’t wait for the next one! Please do something magical at Christmas!"
Looking Forward
Warrington Concert Series has set a high bar for musical events in the town. We are excited about the future and look forward to bringing even more musical experiences to Warrington. If you haven’t had the chance to complete our survey yet, there’s still time to share your thoughts. It’ll take less than 5 minutes!
Stay tuned for updates as our team are already planning our next events.