Festival Outreach
It is the aim of the Wansbeck Music Festival not only to provide a platform for young musicians within the Festival itself but also to offer an outreach programme to organisations, thereby taking our young performers to other venues in the Northumberland and Tyne & Wear areas.
Over the past five years WMF has been able to offer this service to National Charities and to local Churches in order to raise funds for worthy causes. 
With the Festival continuing to grow we now have regular requests for this service to which, wherever possible, we are delighted to respond.
Concerts have taken place in aid of NSPCC, Northumbrian Air Ambulance Service and many local church charities between 2004 and 2006. Four very successful concerts took place in 2007 – at Ulgham Flower Festival, at the Morpeth Soroptimists for “Water Aid”, at Hebron Parish Flower Festival and at Stannington Village Hall. Even more have occurred in 2008 - at Longhirst Music Society in February; at Cullercoats for N Shields Inner Wheel in aid of Mesothelioma in May; a return visit to Ulgham and a concert in aid of St George’s URC (one of our Sponsors) both in June; and a concert as part of the Summer Series at St Bartholomews, Newbiggin-By-The-Sea in July. Two more are scheduled in aid of “Save the Children” Fund in October and in aid of Morpeth Methodist Church funds in November. There are already two bookings for 2009.
These concerts have involved numerous Class Winners in a purely voluntary service to the community. Performers come not only from the Morpeth and Ashington area but also from Alnwick, Warkworth, Amble, Tyneside, Durham and Teeside.
The Festival has also provided young soloists to the Mid-Northumberland Chorus for both their Christmas and Summer concerts in 2007 & 2008. Five young instrumentalists have given recitals in the St George’s URC Lunchtime Concerts between September 2007 & March 2008 and a group of ‘Under 13 yr olds’ gave a concert in May 2008. Further recitals are to be given by four more prizewinners at lunchtime concerts in the Autumn 2008 — see below. Individual younger musicians have also performed in several local Residential & Care Homes.
Anyone interested in this Outreach work should contact the Chairman Mrs Gillian Irvine (Tel 01670 515870) for further details. Wherever possible and practicable the Festival is pleased to assist Charities and local Churches in their fund-raising events.
Lunchtime Concerts in St George's URC.
The first concert in the Autumn 2008 series is on Wednesday 10th September from 12.30pm until 1.30pm and will be given by Jonathan Storey – Piano (Winner of the Elsie Tunney Memorial Cup in 2004) and Sergio Serra – Cello – presently co-leader of Cellos in the National Youth Orchestra and leader of Cellos in the Young Sinfonia.
The second concert in the Autumn 2007 series is on Wednesday 15th October from 12.30pm until 1.30pm and will be given by Charlotte Christensen – Flute & Winner of the Elsie Tunney Memorial Cup & Bursary (The Festival’s highest award) in 2008 and by a small ensemble from the Mid-Northumberland Chorus.
The third concert will be given on Wednesday 19th November from 12.30pm until 1.30pm by Philip Tait – Trumpet - Winner of the James Shepherd Prize at this year’s Brass Festival Weekend in April 2008 plus a Folk Group – still to be announced.
Tea, Coffee and biscuits will be available in the vestibule from Noon on each occasion. Come along, bring your sandwiches and relax for an hour.
Admission is for the modest sum of £3.00 per concert payable at the door.