May’s performance to support Calcutta Rescue was so popular that Juliet Russell, the Fell Trio and the Vocal Explosion Ensemble are performing again this Saturday.

Juliet Russell and friends sing for Calcutta Rescue

This Saturday, 5 October, is an opportunity for those who missed May’s fundraiser by Sunshine on Sea to hear Juliet Russell and the Vocal Explosion Ensemble perform again in St Leonards’ magnificent Christ Church, this time accompanied by the Fell Trio. Erica Smith encourages you to book your tickets now.

Sunshine on Sea is a collective set up to promote music by some of the wonderful musicians in Hastings with the intention of fundraising for Calcutta Rescue – a charity that provides free healthcare, education, employment opportunities and basic infrastructure for tens of thousands of the poorest people living in the slums of Kolkata, India.

Juliet Russell and her choir Vocal Explosion have been performing songs inspired by global voices for two decades. Their inspiration includes music from around the world including Africa, Asia and Europe. For this concert, Juliet has bought singers from Brighton and Hastings choirs together to form the Vocal Explosion Ensemble. Their performance on Saturday will focus on music from Georgia. Corsica, the Celts and Juliet’s own bespoke compositions. The Musicians Union magazine described their work as “Beautiful and mesmerising”.

When the Vocal Explosion Ensemble performed in Christ Church last May, the acoustics moved them so much that they decided to arrange a second concert and are delighted to that The Fell Trio are part of the event – they play violins and accordion with gorgeous melodies from the Appalachians to Scandinavia..

St Leonards resident Sean Duggan has been a member and supporter of Calcutta Rescue since 1991. He is delighted that the voices and music of Hastings residents will help to bring clean water to the bustees (the slums) of Kolkata. Climate change is having a particularly harsh impact on the poorest residents of Indian cities like Kolkata. Sean says, “The temperature in the city gets dangerously high in the summer months. As well as working to deliver fresh water, Calcutta Rescue is working on ways to lower the temperature inside the plastic-covered shacks where people live.”

The concert is at 7–9pm on Saturday 5 October at CHRIST CHURCH, St Leonards on Sea. Tickets are £10 – or £8 for those on Universal Credit and senior citizens. It is advisable to book advance tickets via Ticket Source here.

If you cannot attend the concert, but want to support Calcutta Rescue, you can donate directly to the charity here. You can read an interview with Sean Duggan about Calcutta Rescue here.

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