Vocal pedal power - SongCycle 2016

To help raise money for Help Musicians UK, a group of singers and a pianist are planning to cycle from Glasgow to London, a distance of 500 miles in 11 days from 24 July to 31 July 2016. The team is led by Scottish tenor Nicky Spence (recently seen in Jenufa at ENO), and includes Ailish Tynan (whose recording of Schubert's The Shepherd on the Rock on Signum we heard last year), Mary Bevan (whom we saw last year in Luigi Rossi's Orpheus at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), Louise Alder (recently seen in Idomeneo at Garsington), Simon Lepper (Cardiff Singer of the World official accompanist), Nick Pritchard (whom we saw in Francesca Cavalli's opera at BREMF last year), Emma Kerr (whom we saw in the Arnold/Donizetti double bill at the Guildhall School last year), Timothy Connor and Peter Aisher (both of whom we saw in Albert Herring at the Royal College of Music last year), and Brindley Sherratt (recently seen in Eugene Onegin at Garsington) will join them for the last leg. But this is no ordinary sponsored cycle ride, along the way they will be hosting a number of events to raise money and boost the awareness of the charity’s work.

And it all kicks off on 24 July at Scottish Opera HQ in Glasgow, with performances from the riders and the young people of The Scottish Opera Connect Company. Along the way they will be visiting musical landmarks, and taking part in events with communities from major cities and further afield. They will also be visiting musicians whom the charity helps, and all the money raised will go towards helping musicians in need.

On 31 July, at the London Coliseum, there will be a final performance with some special guests; I just hope the team have enough breath left after all that cycling.

The route is as follows:

24 July – Glasgow – Biggar
25 July – Biggar – Hawick
26 July – Hawick – Newcastle
27 July – Newcastle – York
28 July – York – Manchester
29 July – Manchester – Birmingham
30 July – Birmingham – Oxford
31 July – Oxford – London

Beside sponsoring a rider, there are a number of ways you are encourage to get involved including organising a recital or concert with proceeds going direct to SongCycle, becoming a SongCycle Regional Volunteer, supporting the riders by welcoming them at each location, or simply by donating to their JustGiving page.

Full information from the SongCycle 2016 webpage.