Chorley tenor singer Joshua Ellicott to front First World War commemorative concert at the Royal Albert Hall

A talented vocalist from Lancashire is set to lead the way at the Royal Albert Hall in a concert to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Sep 2018, 16:20 BST
Updated 27th Sep 2018, 21:32 BST
Joshua Ellicott (Photo: SaneSeven)Joshua Ellicott (Photo: SaneSeven)
Joshua Ellicott (Photo: SaneSeven)

Tenor vocalist Joshua Ellicott, from Brinscall, will be performing alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a massed choir of singers, including the Invictus Games Choir, at The Great War Symphony concert at the historic hall on Tuesday, October 9.

Josh said: “I got involved with the project last summer and it’s been great since then.

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“We recorded the work at Abbey Road last week, messing with The Beatles piano. It was pretty cool.”

The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21
The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21

The talented 42-year-old singer has been a tenor for 22 years and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall on many occasions. He is set to lead the performance with along with soprano Louise Alder.

He said: “It’s a great place to perform; there’s a great atmosphere and feeling when you’re on stage.”

The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows.

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Jack Ellicott died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 at the age of just 21.

The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21
The concert is raising money for the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and follows on from Josh four years ago discovering a box of letters and photos of his Great Uncle Jack Ellicott, from Newton-le-Willows, who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 aged just 21

“He died at the Somme and was part of the South Lancashire Regiment, ” Jack explained.

He added: “I’ve used his First World War letters which are very human letters and sing songs between reading them.

“I’ve done that at music festivals up and down the country since 2014.”

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The concert is set to travel to Carnegie Hall in New York City for its US premiere on November 11, the exact centenary of the Armistice.

“I’m not available for the concert unfortunately,” Josh explained, “but I’m glad it’s going to the States.”

Patrick Hawes, the brain behind the show, said: “Since completing the work in the spring it has been full steam ahead with the recording at Abbey Road studies and, during July, we travelled around the UK recording the Scottish, Welsh and Irish choirs.

“As the final pieces of the jigsaw come together and more and more stories emerge from the projects singers and players with First World War connections, I am realising even more what an important memorial in music this is.”

Related topics:LancashireChorleySSAFA