Mezzo-Soprano Jennifer Johnston releases debut album ‘A Love Letter to Liverpool’

‘A Love Letter to Liverpool’ is the stunning new album from Mezzo-Soprano Jennifer Johnston and it’s released on 27th September 2019.

The long-awaited debut solo album of one of the UK’s brightest classical music stars, ‘A Love Letter To Liverpool’ is Jennifer Johnston’s heartfelt tribute to her home city, a designated UNESCO City of Music, with piano accompaniment from Alisdair Hogarth. 

Jennifer is Artist in Residence with the world-renowned Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra until the end of 2020, who appear on the disc alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company. The disc was recorded at Liverpool Philharmonic at the Friary and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and will be released by Rubicon Classics.

Jennifer Johnston comments: “I am thrilled that my debut album is a tribute to my home city, its music and its people. I am proud to be a Scouser, and still make Liverpool my home, so becoming Artist in Residence with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is a huge honour.”

All profits from the album will be donated equally to two outstanding charitable organisations: Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Charity supports the work of one of the world’s leading specialist children’s hospitals, and money raised by the album will contribute to the construction of a critically important in-patient mental health unit for under-13’s; and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company, which encourages the development of the next generation of young musicians and composers from across Merseyside. Jennifer is especially proud that this album contains the works of seven of the Liverpool Philharmonic’s young composers, all of whom are at the beginning of their careers. Jennifer gratefully acknowledges the support of the album’s principal sponsors; Simon Yates & Kevin Roon, the Rushworth Foundation and Amion Consulting.

The first single from the album, a stunning version of the classic show tune and anthem of Premier League football team Liverpool F.C., ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was released on 24^th May, ahead of Liverpool’s victory in the UEFA Champions League Final in June. You can listen to the track here.

You can download the album from Apple Music, Spotify and more here.

TRACKLISTING:
1. In My Liverpool Home – Pete McGovern arr. Carmel Smickersgill
2. Amazing Grace – John Newton arr. Armand Rabot (Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company)
3. May Native Land – Charles Ives
4. Song to the Seals – Granville Bantock
5. I Saw Three Ships – traditional arr. Grace-Evangeline Mason
6. Sea Fever – John Ireland
7. The Estuary – Michael Head
8. The Gateway to the Atlantic Richard Miller (McGough)
9. Homeward Bound – traditional sea shanty arr. Marco Galvani
10. Liverpool Lullaby – Stan Kelly arr. Bethany Morgan-Williams
11. Johnny Todd – traditional arr. Armand Rabot
12. What Will They Tell Me Tonight? Mark Simpson
13. Madam and her Madam – Stephen Hough
14. The World You’re Coming Into – Paul McCartney/Carl Davis
15. Blackbird John Lennon/Paul McCartney arr. Alisdair Hogarth
16. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square – Maschwitz/Sherwin arr. Joshua Quinlan
17. Danny Boy – Frederic Weatherley arr. Stephen Hough
18. The Last Rose of Summer – Thomas More arr. Benjamin Britten
19. The Leaving of Liverpool – traditional arr. Richard Miller
20. All Our Different Voices – Timothy Jackson (Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company)
21. You’ll Never Walk Alone (Carousel) Rogers & Hammerstein (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and
Choir, conducted by Ian Tracey)

The album and Jennifer’s residency at Liverpool Philharmonic will be launched at two special evenings of song at Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room on 29^th and 30^th September, accompanied by Alisdair Hogarth. More details here.

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