TV celebrities Oz Clarke and James May reunited in support of Warwick-based music charity Armonico Consort’s outreach, education and community music projects.
The ‘Oz & James’s Big Wine Adventure’ stars joined Armonico’s cycling musicians for a three-day fundraising tour last week (15-17 October) giving pop-up performances in pubs and cafés in and around the Warwick area.
Thanks to their efforts the charity has raised £8,021.68
They also visited schools, care homes and retirement villages where they entertained pupils and residents with mini-concerts.
The centrepiece of the tour was a visit to Armonico’s Warwick Memory Singers – a community choir for people living with dementia and their carers – followed by a one-off, sold-out concert.
Both stars had musical beginnings. James May is a former choirboy who trained as a musician before venturing into cars, and plays the harpsichord and piano. Oz Clarke, meanwhile, is a former choral singer who started his career on the West End stage.
Former Top Gear presenter May had been expecting to join Oz and the cycling singers on the bike, but tweeted shortly beforehand that he had “bust my wrist in a bicycle accident” and had to follow the team in the car. However, his injury didn’t stop him participating in the music – instead of playing the piano, he joined in with the singing.
The celebrity duo have also put their signatures on the saddle of an exclusive E-Champ E-Superbike, worth nearly £10,000, which will be raffled on 12 November with all proceeds donated to Armonico Consort’s schools and communities outreach work.
Enter the raffle to win an E-Champ E-Superbike
Armonico Consort’s education work reaches 15,000 young people a year through in-school Choir Creations, after school AC Academy choirs and Special Educational Needs music programmes. Its many community projects bring the beneficial effects of music and singing to older people, care home residents and people living with dementia.