CHOIR MD GOES TO MEET BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT STAR AHEAD OF STORYHOUSE DATE

The Musical Director of one of Chester's most flamboyant choirs found himself "beside the seaside" recently, when he travelled to Blackpool to meet up with a Britain's Got Talent star as part of final preparations for a special concert which is set to take place at Chester's Storyhouse theatre this weekend.

Matt Baker, musical director of Chester based choir A Handbag of Harmonies travelled to the famous seaside resort to meet with BGT 2011 finalist, Organist Jean Martyn at the hotel which she owns in the town ahead of the concert which sees Jean taking to stage as a guest of the popular handbag swinging feather boa wearing ladies choir at Storyhouse on Saturday 9^th September at 7.30pm. 

Speaking about travelling to Blackpool to discuss final details for the concert with Jean, Matt said:

"It was so great to meet up with Jean at her hotel in Blackpool to finalise our plans for Saturday's concert, we talked about the running order, what pieces Jean will be performing and we also planned some very special surprises which will involve both Jean and the choir and maybe even see both of us duetting." 

Matt who got to know Jean through her daily livestreamed performances on social media during lockdown added: 

" I think Jean has an incredible talent. She may have risen to national fame on television, but what she did during lockdown blew me away. She went live - every single day - for free - playing every kind of song, changing keys, tempos, and sounds, all while reading messages from an international online audience - with her mobile phone on a stand, answering individual questions, winking at comments and having a swig of red wine mid flow. Wow!! She made us all feel like we were in her living room with her! I can't wait for Jean to join  A Handbag of Harmonies and myself live on stage at Storyhouse on Saturday night."

Jean's career following her appearances on Britain's Got Talent has seen her performing to vast audiences across the USA, Europe and the UK in venues including Wembley Arena and the O2. Jean has also appeared on several TV shows and performed for members of the Royal Family at St James's Palace as well as being invited to several Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace in recognition of her charity work. Jean's army of fans includes non other than David Hasslehoff, Michael McIntyre and Amanda Holden who praised her bubbly personality and paid her the highest compliment by likening her to Victoria Wood. Jean reached a global audience during the pandemic when she performed a series of daily informal livestreams on social media, taking requests from around the world and gaining a whole new fan base whilst keeping up the morale of thousands of viewers during the Covid pandemic. To date, her YouTube clips have reached 550,00 views worldwide. 

Originally from the West Midlands, Jean now splits her time between the UK and her home in the Netherlands where she lives with her Husband Hans,  and has most recently wowed TV audiences in Holland where she has secured a place in the semi-finals of Holland's Got Talent 2023, echoing her success on the UK version back in 2011.

The concert at Storyhouse comes at the end of a busy spring and summer season for A Handbag of Harmonies who have taken part in various events across Chester and the Northwest during 2023 including celebrations to mark the King's Coronation and the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool where their performances went viral on social media.

Full details of  A Handbag of Harmonies' concert featuring Jean Martyn can be found at: 

www.storyhouse.com 

...where tickets can be booked online.

Tickets can also be booked in person at Storyhouse.

Pictured - Chester-based choir A Handbag of Harmonies and Musical Director Matt Baker during Coronation celebrations in Chester.