Festive Choirs For THE GRAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT Are Announced

Community choirs and performers from all around the Liverpool city region and Halton have been working hard with Jay McWinen over the past few months for a collaborative festive concert which celebrates diversity, culture, age, ethnicity, ability or disability coming together as one to show how our region of the Northwest of England can example community inclusion through the art of group singing.

Jay, a former graduate of LIPA and practitioner from Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre focuses his work to improve community well-being through the performing arts sector, giving anyone opportunities to engage in professional shows that develop skills and talent, build social confidence and improve mental-wellbeing; something which has been impacted hugely ever since the pandemic lockdown in 2020, that saw thousands of people across the northwest suffering with depression, isolation and social anxiety.

Now hundreds of people each week come to Jay for his enthusiasm, Joy and encouraging energy whilst learning to sing and this concert is a celebration of their community spirit.

Jay Mcwinen said: "This concert is not only a festive celebration for Christmas, but celebrates the dedication and need of community inclusion. It examples how the joy of singing together really does create stronger, healthier communities that engage with each other no matter of how diverse or different they are. My work with Miriam Mussa, at Liverpool’s Royal Court, who is a pioneer for engaging diversity in the arts, inspired me to take the spotlight to them. I might be hosting the show, but it is them, that are the stars of it."

Community choirs involved are The H’arts and Voices from Widnes- Halton’s very own award-winning mixed choir. The Mersey voices from Liverpool- Current and retired NHS workers. The Rainbow Chorus- Liverpool’s original LGBT+ community choir. Other special guests performers will include professional and amateur singers working together, those that are young with little experience and those that are working already in the industry, proving this intergenerational event to be fully inclusive to all.

The Grand Christmas Concert will be held on 16 December at The Foundry, Widnes.