Jean Martyn - Special Event

Britain’s Got Talent finalist JEAN MARTYN will be appearing at St John's Methodist Church, St Austell on Thursday Sept 20th in a Charity Concert for the Children's Hospice - South West.   Having worked with Jean at various Festivals, the approach to the Hospice was made by Alan Ashton who met with Community Fundraiser Mary Murfin and together they set the wheels in motion.  One of the biggest obstacles was finding a central venue, the hire of which would not add a huge amount to the cost of the evening concert.  Speaking with the Rev Joan Watson, the Minister at St John's, it was learned that she is keen to make the venue one in which all kinds of musical events can take place.  And so 'A MUSICAL EVENING WITH JEAN MARTYN was born and at which concert she will play a programme of music for all tastes on her Yamaha organ, the piano and the Hele pipe organ.  Refreshments, a raffle, wheelchair access and parking. 

All proceeds go to the Hospice where they offer short breaks away for the whole family, for respite and relaxation. Mums, Dads, brothers and sisters can all come and stay. They provide one-to-one specialist care for the sick child. This allows the family the chance to have a break away from the worries of caring, and to be together as a family. In this respect, what they provide is completely unlike any other care available. This probably explains why for 80% of stays sick children are accompanied by family members. This one at Little Harbour, Porthpean, St Austell is the latest to be built.  It was an article in the local press which gave Alan the idea, and although he first contacted Nicholas Martin who is heavily involved with similar Charity work on behalf of his own two children, regrettably he could not fit it in to his schedule.

BBC Radio Cornwall has already given advance news of the concert in a phone-in conversation with Alan and it's hoped to try and arrange for Jean to appear in one of their programmes on the concert day.  Recalling the Charity concert that he and some friends staged at St Petroc's Church, Bodmin in which German organist Claudia Hirschfeld shared the evening with the Wadebridge Male Voice choir:  an event which appealed to organ music fans and followers of the choir in equal numbers, Alan saw that as an idea worth exploring further.  Recent events have given him incentives to do so and perhaps take them further. Last year, concerned to witness first hand a situation where a Club achieved double the amount of people attending an organ concert for a good number of years, some for the very first time, there were no special words of welcome or encouragement for them to consider coming again or even take out Membership.  'It was a night to remember' said Alan, 'but for all the wrong reasons.  Music performed on organs or keyboards, electronic, pipe or piano is something that should, and can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, not just the hard core of (sadly) depleting enthusiasts.  If Charities or good causes can benefit from a wider appreciation of performances on 'our' favorite instrument(s) then I see that as a bonus'