A summer concert dedicated to the memory of music lover David West will have special significance.
The lunchtime performance will be held at St Michael’s Church in Macclesfield where David and wife Linda often attended recitals.
The event – themed ‘Notes of Joy and Memories’ – is on Friday, June 28, at 1.15 pm with free admission.
David, from Bollington, died from cancer in November, aged 76.
Linda said: “David was looked after with tremendous love and care by the Hospice’s Hospice @Home team in his last days.
“He would have liked to have shown his thanks to them in a practical way.
Music lover David West whose memory will be honoured at St Michael’s Church.
“We enjoyed attending the recitals at St Mike’s and appreciated the lovely music and tremendous talent of the various performers.”
One of those groups was a musical family whose amazing talents David greatly admired.
Pianist Martyn Parkes, wife Hrafnhildur Björnsdótttir who is a soprano, and son Oliver, who plays saxophone, are returning to a familiar venue.
The family live in Macclesfield and Martyn, a teacher at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, has performed at the church several times.
His Icelandic wife ‘Habba’ was a member of the English National Opera singing all over the world with leading opera companies. Oliver (17) was a pupil at Tytherington School before gaining a place at Chetham’s in 2021.
Visitors will be invited to make a donation following the performance. Linda said: “I thought it was a nice idea to hold a concert in David’s memory with donations going exclusively to East Cheshire Hospice.
“We look forward to a special performance from this amazingly gifted family group. It’s so kind of Martyn, Habba and Oliver to help raise funds for the Hospice and there’ll be a mix of songs with something for everyone.
“David contributed to civic life in Bollington by working on the Neighbourhood plan and was a long-time supporter of Bollington Arts Centre, the Bridgend Centre and Bollington Chamber Group.”
The couple met Martyn at a recital about 10 years ago. Since then, Martyn has helped Linda’s godson Matthew Allen, himself a talented flautist, by providing encouragement and accompaniment.
Donations are normally shared between St Michael’s and the Hospice but the church has agreed that all donations for this event will go to the Hospice.
