General Information
Victory in Europe Concert 2015
Date
Sunday 27th September 2015
Evening at 7.15pm
Venue
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
A combined comcert featuring-
West Kirby Light Opera Society
The Welsh Choral Union
The Northop Silver Band
Victoria Wells - piano
George Gallagher - guest star
Wallasey School of Ballet ( White Cliffs of Dover dancers )
Conductors
Robert Bowness - WKLOS
- Welsh Choral Union
Brett Baker - Northop Silver Band
The Full Company Victory in Europe Concert 2015
WKLOS, Liverpool Welsh Choral and Northop Silver Band
Programme Victory in Europe Concert 2015
Photographs Victory in Europe Concert 2015
| Photographs by kind permission of RGC Concert Promotions. |
| Full company - click to enlarge |
'We're going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line" - in performance
Bill Seabury, Jason Jump, Nick Hawkswell, Michael Kennedy, Keith Phillips, Mike Ellis, Dave Haywood
'We're going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line" - in rehearsal
l-r Bill Seabury, Jason Jump, Nick Hawkswell, Michael Kennedy, Keith Phillips, Mike Ellis, Dave Hayward
'Siegfried Line" - in rehearsal, with Rob Bowness standing in for Keith Phillips
Videos Victory in Europe Concert 2015
Anthem - George Galloway, Northop Silver Band, and the combined choirs of WKLOS and Welsh Choral.
Press Coverage
Victory in Europe Concert 2015
Bootle born Jean Taylor will reminisce about VE Day and how she played the piano until 3.00am among the ruins of Bootle at the forthcoming VE Gala Celebration and commemoration concert at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall at 7.15pm on Sunday 27th September 2015, compèred by BBC Radio Merseyside's Roger Phillips.
Jean now resides in Hoylake and is active in the West Kirby Light Opera Society, but at the outbreak of the Second World War, Jean was a young girl terrified that the Germans would come down her street any minute! In May 1941, bombs rained down on Liverpool for eight successive nights, with the intent to destroy the port areas around Bootle. Nearly 1800 Merseysiders were killed and over 1000 injured. More than 90,000 homes were destroyed or damaged and 75,000 people were left homeless. Bootle, where Jean lived was flattened and as a result, Jean did not attend school for 18 months. At the end of the war, to celebrate VE day, Jean, now a young teenager, played the piano for everyone in the street and did not stop until 3.00am in the morning. Later, Jean continued her musical career as the Liverpool Grand Opera Company’s principal soprano for many years, singing at the Liverpool Empire and the Royal Court Theatre.
You can hear more of Jean’s (and others’) remarkable reminiscences at the Liverpool Phil alongside the legendary Liverpool Welsh Choral, the great theatre company and chorus of the West Kirby Light Opera Society and the magnificent Northop Silver Band. Also appearing is Liverpool sensation, 22-year old George Gallagher who performs some of Frank Sinatra’s best loved numbers.
This fabulous line-up will bring you the very best of war-time music and entertainment with a spectacular finale, taking you back to the joy that filled the nation on VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) after 6 years of war. Members of the audience are encouraged to dress in 1940's outfits, military dress, medals and bring flags!
