York orchestra to perform a winter concert in aid of local charity

York’s leading chamber orchestra, the Academy of St Olave’s, will present its Winter Concert this weekend – in aid of local charity, Jessie’s Fund.

The concert will feature a trio of early Romantic pieces by Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann.

It will take place at the Creative Centre at York St John University, on Saturday 21 January at 8pm.

It will be one of the first concerts of classical music to take place at the 170-seat theatre.

The Academy’s musical director, Alan George, said: “We are looking forward to performing a trio of thrilling works by three of the great Germanic composers of the early 19th century: Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann.

“We are also pleased to be one of the first orchestras to perform at York St John University’s Creative Centre Theatre, helping to introduce a new – and warm! – venue to the city’s music scene.

“Finally, I am delighted that the Academy has chosen once again to support Jessie’s Fund at this concert.” 

Jessie’s Fund is a charity set up by Alan and his wife Lesley Schatzberger following their nine-year-old daughter Jessie’s brain tumour diagnosis in 1994.

Sadly Jessie died shortly thereafter, but Lesley and Alan decided that Jessie’s Fund should become a charity dedicated to helping seriously ill and disabled children through the therapeutic use of music.

Based in York, Jessie’s Fund now helps children all over the UK. Find out more about the charity’s work at their website.

Tickets for the concert are £15 and are available from the Academy of St Olave’s website. For students and accompanied under-18s, tickets are £5.