Tickle the Ivories piano festival returns to Liverpool ONE for summer

Talented students from Wirral School of Music will kick off the school’s 40^th birthday celebrations, as the North West’s biggest piano festival returns to Liverpool ONE.

Tickle the Ivories – now in its ninth year at Liverpool ONE – officially launches on Thursday 4 July, giving visitors the chance to showcase their skills and share a tune or two.

This year, the retail and leisure destination has teamed up with Wirral School of Music to launch the much-loved event as part of the school’s landmark anniversary year.

Since Tickle the Ivories launched, the event has racked up millions of views on social media as shoppers have been treated to impromptu performances on six pianos located across Liverpool ONE. Performers from all walks of life have performed an impressive array of music from classical to their take on the latest charts.

Wirral School of Music students Leo, 12, and Alan Davis, 89, will perform on 3 July, along with May Swaney and her eight-year-old son, Sam.

Peter Rainsford, director at Wirral School of Music, said: “We’re thrilled to have helped launch this year’s Tickle the Ivories with a selection of performances from our students and supporters.

“Playing the piano – or any instrument for that matter – has no age limit and we hope our students’ performances will encourage people to give it a go, regardless of their age or ability. We’ll certainly be back with more of our students to perform a few tunes throughout the summer!”

Tickle the Ivories is free to take part and all performers are licensed to busk, meaning anything they earn, they keep.

Now, Liverpool ONE is calling on community groups, choirs and untapped talent to come and show off their skills.

Donna Howitt, Marketing Director at Liverpool ONE, said: “The Liverpool City Region is known for being incredibly rich in musical talent. We’re excited to collaborate with Wirral School of Music to help launch this year’s Tickle the Ivories festival, especially as they celebrate such an incredible milestone.

“As well as enjoying a series of seasoned performers from all genres this summer, we want to encourage our visitors to get involved, too. Whether you’re a local school, a community group or simply someone who fancies giving the piano a go, the festival is the perfect place to start!”

Tickle the Ivories launches to the public on Thursday 4 July and will run for until 8 September.

To book a slot on one of the six pianos available at Tickle the Ivories, visit the website here.

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