Concert for Jillian Simms
On 21 June at The Great Hall, Liverpool Hope University, 75 former pupils of Jill Simms, former Head of Music at St Julie's High School in Woolton, Liverpool paid tribute to their former music teacher with a reunion concert. Jill died of cancer last year.
Soprano Rachel Harland
Members of these choirs gathered to pay tribute to Jill and celebrate her life in music and song to continue the positive influence Jill had on so many lives. The concert raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support, who helped Jill and her family.
Sue Doyle who organised the event explained how the concert got underway. ‘At the beginning of 2007, Jill spoke to a few people about her desire to get the old St Julie's choir girls together for a reunion. She wanted a fun afternoon practising, a concert and then end up in the pub afterwards. In the summer of 2007 the plans were shaping up but sadly, Jill’s health went downhill in September.
Once we realised the concert wouldn’t happen the way Jill had intended, we wanted her to know that we were going to go ahead and get the girls together again anyway. We sent her a card telling her that we would set up a concert with all the things she would have wanted us to sing again and raise money for cancer charities. We chose the date because it is close to Jill’s birthday.
Once the word got around, members of other choirs that Jill was involved in wanted to take part too. The choir includes St Julie’s High School ex pupils, Liverpool Youth Choir and Jill’s Hope University post graduate students. Many members of the choir have not sung for more than 15 years and were really nervous of the occasion!
The only word that can be used to describe the evening is 'sensational'. The concert was an emotional tribute to Jill with stunning performances from her husband Graham Johns, percussionist for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and also Jill’s children, Jasper, Amber and Bryony. Throughout the evening the audience were mesmerised by the quality of the performances and I am sure I wasn’t the only one suffering from ‘Hairs Standing on End Syndrome’.
The raffle generated lots of money for the charity with some fabulous prizes on offer including a signed Monty Panesar cricket ball, hair cuts from Toni & Guy and table mats and champagne from this year’s Brit Awards.
So far the event has raised over £4,200 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Thank you to all of the singers and musicians who took part and to everybody who attended this fantastic and momentous occasion.