Promoting 160th anniversary
I was approached by Exeter Philharmonic Choir to help them promote their sea-themed concert at the Cathedral. Despite being 160 years old in 2016, the choir is one of Exeter’s well kept secrets, and they needed to put their head above the parapet to encourage a wider audience. There was a great news angle as this was to be the first performance of The Seafarer, a new piece for choir and orchestra by Andrew Millington, which he based around excerpts from the Exeter Book, and Anglo-Saxon book housed at the Cathedral. Andrew is the choir’s conductor,and was Director of Music at the Cathedral for many years.
All the local media rallied round, with a BBC Radio Devon interview, coverage in Exeter Living, Exeter Life and the Western Morning News. Social media played its part, too. I joined #DevonHour and #ExeterHour on behalf of the choir, and ran an advert on their Facebook page. There was an impressive audience on the night to hear the choir and the Sinfonietta Orchestra, which was gratifying. I then helped the choir to promote its first ever ‘Lord Mayor’s Fundraising Concert’ where they performed The Messiah, before handing over the account to my PR pal, Sharon Goble.