TALENTED teeangers from Christopher Whitehead Language College have released their debut CDs thanks to funding and support from members of the community across the city.
Emily Mustoe and Sapphire Wilkinson both took to the stage at the Best of Worcester Community Awards last November as part of a programme some of the musical talent on offer in the city.
The awards were sponsored by the National Lottery Community Fund and the goodwill this sponsorship generated saw Caravan Music – the emerging business of Ebony Clay and Andy Teece, two of Worcester’s better known rock musicians – offer their recording expertise to the duo.
But the goodwill did not stop there. Coun Alan Amos heard the recordings and offered to sponsor the cost of the art work and photography for the covers of the CDs.
Emily is head chorister of Decani at Worcester Cathedral and has recorded compositions which include work by Handel, Mozart as well as a composition by Emily’s favourite, Katherine Jenkins. The 17-year-old is accompanied on the CD by Nicholas Freestone, who is assistant director of music at the Cathedral.
Accompanied solely by her own guitar playing, Sapphire’s songs include Spiralling, Monster and Better without You.
Sapphire’s songs begin to recall the early, golden days of female singer songwriters such as Carole King and Joni Mitchell.
Keith Slater of Community Boost, the group which pulled all these different sources together, the CDs represent a wonderful example of what can be achieved when local resources are all working together;
“We began with St Stephen’s Church hosting the awards; then several schools became involved; we then added the national lottery funding; two established local musicians became interested; a County Councillor wanted to support the idea and a small business co-ordinated. All six were involved, at different stages, to promote the exciting artistic potential of these two young women.
“I think the school deserves so much praise for the success of Emily and Sapphire. Equally I know these CDs will be received with pride by the girls’ families who will have invested large amounts of time, patience and support in them both.
“At the 2018 awards we had artists performing from four schools; Christopher Whitehead, Northwick Manor Primary, Regency High and Tudor Grange.
“They were all superb and I was not the only person in the audience that night who thought that music in our schools is one of the hidden jewels in the crown of Worcester,” he added.
