Symphony Idol winners announced

After months of rehearsals, performance and now a public vote we can today reveal the five choirs and five solo singers who have won the chance to perform at this year’s Symphony At The Tower.

From primary school children to teenage tenors, community singers and even life-saving paramedics our competition proved Lancashire really is a hotbed of singing stars.

And our ‘Idols’ will now all appear on stage in front of a huge audience to open this year’s fantastic Symphony Spectacular event at Hoghton Tower on Sunday July 3.

The winning choirs who won the public vote on the LEP website are: Anchorsholme Academy, Community Voice Choir, Preston Musical Comedy Show Choir, North West Ambulance Service and Houghton In Harmony.

And the winning solo singers are: Jennifer Thompson, 14, Elizabeth Singleton, 15, Ciaran O’Brien, 16, Helen Marie Latham, 36, and Ruth Naylor, 31.

Peter Taylor, director of concert promoters Cuffe and Taylor, said: “We have been blown away by the quality of everyone who entered Symphony Idols and we cannot wait to see the winners live on stage at Symphony At The Tower in July.

“Not only do we have Will Young performing on the Friday night and Joe Bonamassa on the Saturday, this year, we decided to extend our Symphony Spectacular on the Sunday by opening the gates two hours earlier at 3pm.

“This means we are able to showcase our Symphony Idols at the start of what is always a wonderful day of quality live music and a spectacular firework finale. This will be a day to remember for everyone – none more so than our Symphony Idols.”

Symphony Spectacular, a classical picnic Proms concert for all the family with a stunning live orchestra and firework finale, is the flagship fundraising event for St Catherine’s Hospice.

St Catherine’s Hospice’s director of community and income, Lorraine Charlesworth, said: “We’re really looking forward to this year’s Symphony at the Tower – which for the first time is being extended to cover three nights due to popular demand.

“The Symphony Idols competition is another way of inviting the community to get more involved in the charity’s flagship fundraising event, and we’ve been really impressed with the high standard of auditions, so thank you to everyone who entered.

“In fact, we were so overwhelmed by the number of quality performances that we’ve decided to open the gates earlier on the Sunday, so we can fit in more local choirs and solo acts to take to the stage and really give visitors a show to remember.”

Tickets for Will Young’s gig on Friday July 1, Joe Bonamassa in Concert: A Salute to the British Blues Explosion on Saturday July 2 and Symphony Spectacular on Sunday July 3, are available by calling 01772 629171 or by visiting www.symphonyatthetower.co.uk, www.symphonyatthetower.co.uk or from the hospice in Lostock Lane, Lostock Hall.