TALENTED JOHN WILLMOTT QUARTET FILL THE AIRWAVES FOR RADIO STAR’S VISIT

A talented John Willmott quartet provided the musical accompaniment when radio star Jeremy Vine appeared at the Town Hall.

John Willmott School students Chloe Adams, Jack Leatherbarrow, Alfie Bennett, Szymon Arcisewski showed off their prowess on piano, flute and clarinet to serenade audience members when the popular Radio Two host appeared at the local venue, before signing copies of his new book.

Afterwards the star thanked the quartet from the Reddicap Heath Road school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.

Headteacher Tracey Peters said: “We’re so proud of the students for putting on such a professional performance.

Talented John Willmott quartet in town hall performance

“This is the third time we have played at The Town Hall in the last two years – they played at the Sutton Community Awards, then at the book signing for Michael Portillo and soon they will be performing when MP Jess Phillips holds a book signing there too.”

Mrs Peters said that due to the pandemic, performances by the school’s musicians had been limited last year, with a virtual Christmas concert replacing the usual popular festive event.

“Our students have continued to work hard and practice their musical skills during lockdown,” she said.

“Having the opportunity to perform in public is a chance to showcase their considerable talents and helps builds students’ confidence and resilience. We are pleased to continue to work with Sutton Coldfield Town Hall and support these local events.”

Julie Rennison, Town Hall Managing Director, said: “Once again we were so impressed by the professionalism and talent of the young John Willmott. They set the scene so well for Jeremy Vine’s book signing in the bar and were the perfect warm up for his talk. We look forward to their next visit!” 

For more on John Willmott, click here.

To visit the John Willmott website, click here.

“Having the opportunity to perform in public is a chance to showcase their considerable talents and helps build students’ confidence and resilience,”
– headteacher tracey peters

Gary Phelpshttp://garyphelpscomms.co.uk
Gary is an award-winning journalist who has edited nine newspapers and helped launch numerous online news brands. He created UK School News and Sutton School Life to provide platforms for local schools to share positive news stories, helping them engage with their local communities and celebrate their successes. He has appeared on TV and radio on numerous occasions, presented evidence to Government ministers, lobbied on behalf of the media industry and trained dozens of young journalists. Gary was an Associate Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Derby, and has also advised Wolverhampton College's award-winning Journalism course accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

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