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Neston Music Festival Continues This Week

The 2019 Neston Music Festival got off to a cracking start at the weekend with two full house concerts at the United Reformed Church, after an official opening by Neston Town Mayor, Cllr Pat Kynaston.

Birkenhead Operatic Society Trust's West End Songbook on Friday 26th opened the Festival with an extravaganza of songs from musicals from different decades, all accompanied energetically by musical director Trish Gaskell - a real tour de force.

Birkenhead Operatic Society company with Mayor of Neston Cllr Pat Kynaston.

Highlights included Gina Philips's "Joyce the Librarian" and "I'm Tone Deaf" (really funny and difficult to perform), Chairman Meryl Langford's unique selection of "My Favourite Things" and Eddie Bentley's "Old Man River".

The first half''s climax of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was perhaps particularly apt as certain of the audience were checking their 'phones for the latest score from Anfield (eventually 5-0).

The church provided an excellent setting for the Saturday concert of Music of Handel's England, promoted by The Parkgate Society.

Soloist Imogen Garner with members of Wirral Baroque Players

The Wirral Baroque Players (21 members from the Wirral Symphony Orchestra) had come together under conductor Adrian Griffiths especially for the evening. As well as works by Handel, the audience also heard others from his contemporaries Vivaldi, Corelli, Arne, Oswald and Boyce.

Mezzo soprano Imogen Garner opened with an aria from Handel's "Rinando" and in the second half gave us three "Songs from Shakespeare's Plays". Superb.

The concert was devised and each piece introduced by orchestra Chairman Rod Tann who also produced a really informative set of programme notes.

The Festival continues with music for flute and piano at St Thomas's, Parkgate on Wednesday 1st May and - in complete contrast - In the Mood with the Northern Rhythm Big Band at the Civic Hall on Friday 3rd May.

Full details here.

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