ONE of the country’s finest church musicians is going back to his roots for a special concert to raise cash for the Abbots Morton Bell Tower Appeal.
Award-winning composer Francis Grier will be talking to the stage at Inkberrow Parish Church next Saturday, July 19 from 7pm.
The historic church will welcome the Grier Trio; Francis and his two daughters, 21 year old Savitri playing the violin and 19 year old Indira on cello.
Francis will be playing a grand piano hired in especially for the occasion from Vale Pianos.
The concert is in aid of the appeal which aims to raise £40,000 to repair the masonry of the bell tower of Abbots Morton’s
Grade I listed St Peter’s Church.
The evening will be close to Francis’s heart as he used to practice on the organ at Inkberrow Parish Church as a teenager when his parents lived in Worcestershire.
St Peter’s Church in Abbots Morton is also the venue where Francis and his wife, Anjali, tied the knot 24 years ago.
“I’ve a great affection for that beautiful Norman church and for the village, where my sister, Lynda, still lives.” he said.
“I wanted to do what I could to help restore the church’s 14th century bell tower and this concert with my two daughters seemed the natural thing to do.”
The respected musician now lives in north London and following his early life in Worcestershire went on to become organist at Christ Church, Oxford, for nine years.
A prolific composer, Francis won the British Composer of the Year award in 2012 for his Missa Brevis, one of two masses he wrote for St Paul’s Cathedral.
Tickets for the evening are available in advance from Lynne Pemberton on 01386 792549 or on the door on the evening.
Visit www.abbotsmortonbelltower.co.uk for more information about the event.
