Zeb to host Britten statue gala at Wigmore Hall
Zeb Soanes looks forward to the Wigmore Hall fundraising gala
by Mark Boggis, Lowestoft Journal
A "dazzling" gala celebrating the musical legacy of a coastal town's most famous son is set to be held later this year.
It will take place as part of an ongoing appeal to raise funds to install a statue of Benjamin Britten, as a boy, looking out over the sea that inspired his music in his birth town of Lowestoft.
In April last year, a community project was unveiled with the aim of raising funds to have the statue installed just yards away from where the world famous composer, conductor and pianist was born.
Lowestoft-born broadcaster and children's author Zeb Soanes and the team of passionate locals - who form the Britten as a Boy statue committee - said around £100,000 is needed to be raised for the sculpture.
Aiming to install a statue of the young composer on the seafront close to the house in which he was born and where Britten drew his musical inspiration from, Mr Soanes said: "With your generosity we have already raised a quarter of the £100,000 that we need.
"We have a fantastic event this autumn which will go a long way to raising the rest.
"At London's Wigmore Hall on Friday, October 6 we have a dazzling gala concert that I'll be hosting along with the great Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Janet Baker, Tasmin Little and Alistair McGowan."
The programme features vocal and instrumental music by Britten and the composers he revered, including readings and memories from eminent musicians who performed in his premieres, as well as musical performances from Apollo5, Iain Burnside, Britten Pears Young Artists and "many, many more".
Tickets are now on sale for the gala concert that celebrates 110 years since Britten's birth.
And with "every penny" going to the construction of the Britten as a Boy statue, Mr Soanes said it's unveiling would be "a gift to the children of Lowestoft so that they too - just like Benjamin Britten - can go onto achieve their ambitions."
To book tickets, and for further information, visit its website www.brittenasaboy.com.