YOUNG MUSICIAN TO APPEAR AT OPEN-AIR CLASSICAL CONCERT

Liverpool Young Musician of the Year, Angela Barnes will be making her first official performance after winning the title at Southport’s open-air classical concert next week.

Nineteen-year-old Angela, who plays the French horn, will perform the 1st Movement of the 1st Horn Concerto by Richard Strauss at the ‘Summer Classics’ in Victoria Park in Southport on Saturday, July 27th.

Angela, of Rossendale, will appear with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at its first open-air concert in the North West this year. A spectacular firework finale to the sounds of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture will conclude the evening.

“This will be my first official engagement with a professional orchestra as a soloist and I’m really excited about it,” says Angela. “I’m looking forward to it and just hope that the weather is good on the day.”

Angela has been playing the French horn since she was eight and was the Principal Horn with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain last year. This year she has become a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and will tour Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Greece with them next month.

The ‘Summer Classics’ gives classical music lovers the unique opportunity to picnic in the park with entertainment from one of the country’s top orchestras.

A massive 51ft wide stage will be constructed and the performance will go ahead with colourful and dramatic, hi-tech lighting effects.

Lord Fearn, Sefton’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Tourism, said: “Tickets are selling well so it promises to be a superb event for music lovers of all ages. It has been organised to enhance Southport’s already packed line-up of events and is a real boost for the town. Victoria Park is one of the most relaxing places in Southport and makes an excellent venue for this event.”

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by John Wilson, will perform an evening of popular classics including Rodgers’ Oklahoma and South Pacific, Sousa’s Stars and Stripes, Bize’s Danse Boheme from Carmen, Lehar’s Gold and Silver Waltz and Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from Sleeping Beauty

The gates are open from 6pm for a picnic in the park before the concert starts at 8pm. Special champagne picnics can be pre-ordered to collect on arrival or taken along on the evening.

A range of picnics at £10 and £14.50 are available and champagne and wine can also be ordered in advance. A limited number of canopy sites are also available (2 metres by 2 metres) and these also need to be reserved.

Tickets cost £15 for adults, £13 for children between five and 16 and for bookings of 20 people or more £12 each. Tickets are available from the Box Office at the Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP, tel. 0151 709 3789 and Southport Arts Centre, Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1DB, tel. 01704 540011.

For further information on Summer Classics or to obtain a brochure telephone the Southport Events Hotline on 01704 395511 or visit www.visitsouthport.com.