WACIDOM

Saturday 21^st February 2026 1:45pm–2:30pm

Recital by students from Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM

Programme

Grace Hughes (violin) and Alex Booty (piano)

JS Bach Violin Partita no. 2 in D minor (BMV 1004)
i. Sarabande
ii. Gigue

Bedrich Smetana for violin & piano “From my homeland”
i. Moderato
ii. Andantino-Allegro vivo

Tom Hughes (horn) and Evan Watkinson (piano)

Franz Liszt ‘Sposalizio’ from the Second Year of Pilgrimage: Italy for solo piano
Alan Abbott ‘Alla caccia’ for horn and piano
Saint-Saens Romance for horn and piano Op.36
Franz Strauss Nocturno for horn and piano Op.7
Arnold Cooke Rondo for horn and piano

Biographies

Grace Hughes (violin)
Grace is currently studying violin with Catherine Yates at the RNCM (first year) after several years learning from her grandfather, Martin Hughes. From North Yorkshire, Grace benefitted from the Yorkshire Young Musicians scheme based at Leeds Conservatoire and has enjoyed being a member of Opera North’s excellent youth orchestra. Grace was leader of the acclaimed Tees Valley Youth Orchestra, providing direction at venues such as the Glasshouse in Gateshead and in various cathedrals on a tour of northern Spain. A versatile musician, Grace also loves to sing and play piano and is comfortable and accomplished in different genres such as folk, pop and improvisation. She is passionate about sharing music as a powerful tool for change and healing, enjoying outreach experiences playing in care homes and in her ambassador role for Orchestras for All.

Tom Hughes (horn)
Younger brother of Grace, Tom is currently in his final year at Chetham’s School of Music where he studies with Lindsey Stoker. Prior to Chetham’s , Tom greatly benefitted from lessons with Catherine Hewitt in Ripon, and also enjoyed his time in the Tees Valley Youth Orchestra. More recently Tom has benefitted from an access scheme which has enabled him to perform twice with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at their famous Maida Vale studio in London. In 2025 he performed in lunchtime recitals at the Bridgewater Hall and Stoller Hall respectively and has had masterclasses with Ben Goldscheider and Martin Owen. He was recently offered a scholarship to study at the RNCM though is likely to take up a place at the Royal College of Music in London where he hopes to pursue his dream of becoming a professional horn player.

Alex Booty (piano)
From Norfolk, Alex now studies piano at the RNCM with Annabelle Lawson (first year). A graduate of the distinguished Aldeburgh Young Musicians scheme, Alex has enjoyed masterclasses with internationally acclaimed pianists including Zeynep Ozsuca, Fred Thomas and Tyler Hay. He won the Inspiration Trust Piano Competition in 2024 and 2025.

Evan Watkinson (piano)
From Doncaster, Evan is an upper sixth student of piano and saxophone at Chetham’s School of Music where he learns with Jonathan Middleton. Evan is also looking forward to continuing his musical studies in London at the Royal College of Music.

Next week’s concert 28^th February Adam Davies, Piano

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Saturday 14^th February 2026 1:45pm – 2:30pm

Anita Naughton, 1^st violin, Helen Tonge, 2^nd violin,

Allison Calderbank, viola and Illona Hepburn, cello

Programme

Mozart String Quartet No.20 in D major, KV499

1. Allegretto in D major
2. Menuetto in D major
3. Adagio in G major
4. Allegro in D major

Gardel Tomo Y Obligo

Haydn String Quartet in E-flat major, Op.33 No.2, Hob.III:38 “The Joke”

1. Allegro moderato
2. Scherzo: Allegro
3. Largo sostenuto
4. Presto

Biographies

Anita Naughton – first violin

Anita began playing the violin at the age of 9, having lessons at school before studying privately with Terry Lewis in Southport. At the age of 19 she took a gap year, taking lessons from Benedict Holland before taking up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in 1995. After graduating in 1999, Anita enjoyed a freelance career working with orchestras such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Performing Arts Orchestra, the Halle, BBC Philharmonic and Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra.

Anita now combines her work as a freelance violinist, working regularly with professional orchestras and chamber groups in the North, with running her own busy private teaching practice. She is the leader of St Helen’s Sinfonietta, Lucia Strings, The Rowan Quartet and Bolton Symphony Orchestra. In September 2023 she performed the Dvorak Violin Concerto with Bolton Symphony Orchestra in Victoria Hall in Bolton.

Helen Tonge – second violin

Helen studied at Manchester University and the RNCM and, as a member of the Rivoli Quartet, completed a Masters in String Quartet Performance at Sheffield University with Peter Cropper of the Lindsays. Aside from chamber music playing, she works with various orchestras including Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Viva, Skipton Camerata, Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, The Brigantes and the Novello Orchestra. She is leader of the New Classical Players and Cheshire Sinfonia and has guest-led Blackburn, Wilmslow and Stockport Symphony Orchestras. Solo performances have included the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Tonbridge Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Lark Ascending With Cheshire Sinfonia, as well as duo work with composer-pianist Richard Whalley. Helen teaches violin at Bolton School and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys.

Allison Calderbank – viola

Allison is an experienced orchestral and chamber player. She has regularly freelanced with the Hallé Orchestra for over 10 years and currently performs with the Eberle String Trio, the Calderbank Duo and Lucia Strings. She has been the viola player in the Stonebridge Quartet and the Highgate Wedding Quartet and also plays with What The Pluck wedding trio and quartet. She currently plays in the viola sections at St Helens Sinfonietta, Liverpool Concert Orchestra and Lakeland Sinfonia. She has led the violas in the Haffner Orchestra and the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra prior to attending the RNCM in 2009, where she qualified with a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance before turning professional. She is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and is Senior Tax Manager in a Wirral accountancy and tax practice, combining both her music and accountancy careers and enjoying both!

Ilona Hepburn – first cello

Ilona began playing cello aged 9, and studied at Chethams School of Music, followed by the Royal Northern College of Music, and a scholarship for postgraduate cello studies in Chicago. Ilona enjoys a varied performing career, most notably performing for the late Queen, and for the Pope, television appearances, and touring with Russell Watson. Chamber music is at the heart of much of Ilona’s performing, appearing regularly across the Northwest with her chamber group Lucia Strings, interspersed with orchestral work, and solo appearances with orchestras, performing Schumann cello concerto, and Vivaldi double concerto. Being passionate about passing on a love of music to the next generation, Ilona enjoys teaching and is the Founder and Director of an annual summer music course for young players, called Summer Sounds, as well as tutoring for the Benedetti Foundation.

In next week’s concert on 21^st February we welcome students from Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM – Tom Hughes, French horn, Grace Hughes, violin, Evan Watkinson, piano and Alex Booty, piano.

Note : If you would like to be included on our email list for updates about the concert series, or would like to make changes to the contact details we already have for you, there is a form at the back of the Church, that you can complete.

WACIDOM is a voluntary run music society and charity that holds free lunchtime concerts on Saturday afternoons at Holy Trinity Church in Warrington Town Centre. All our concerts are funded by donations.

Our main aim is to offer opportunities to young student musicians, most often from the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music, but sometimes further afield. We also support musicians at the start of their careers as they build repertoire, confidence and platform skills.

In 2024 we celebrated our 500^th free concert which was played by Patron, Leon McCawley and Patron, Sir Stephen Hough kindly offered to play a December concert, to bring our celebratory year to a close.

Sir Stephen asked that donations were to go to WACIDOM to support our work with young and aspiring musicians. He was there once!

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