Christmas on the Mount Without

The Mount Without

The Mount Without has a 900-year-old history as striking and dramatic as the interior you see tonight The original church dates back to Norman times and its name (St Michael's on the Mount Without) derives from the fact that it was situated outside of the city walls The tower was built in the 15th century and the bells were added in 1739.

It suffered heavy damage during the Blitz in 1941 after an incendiary bomb started a fire that destroyed the roof, eerily foreshadowing a fate that left its future in the balance. In 2016, a fire broke out that caused the roof to collapse entirely and the building was put up for sale a year later

After years of painstaking work, the venue has been meticulously restored and now enjoys a new life as a unique arts space, a venue for regular private events and the home of resident dance company, Impermanence

It is a privilege to play in such a beautiful building and to be part of its unfolding story

A:

Q: What's the best gift to buy a musician?

A broken drum. You can't beat it.

Gympanzees

As a band, we not only aim to promote lifelong learning of and engagement with music, but also support a range of good causes by offering financial support and bringing awareness to campaigns and projects

This year we are supporting the children's charity, Gympanzees, which helps children and young people with a range of disabilities and additional needs to access exercise and leisure facilities Their vital work enables children and young people to enhance their physical, mental and emotional development and helps to combat the isolation they experience as a result of a lack of appropriate and accessible facilities

Gympanzees are currently raising funds to build a state-of-the-art facility that will be the first of its kind in the UK 'Project Home' is raising £22 million to fund a building that will be open 7 days a week and will offer access to a range of specialist play and leisure equipment that is currently inaccessible to many children and young people with specialist needs

We will be taking donations tonight to go towards this project- please give as generously as you can Thank you

Running Order

In the Vaults Bar

Rose Tangye sings a selection of your best-loved carols and Christmas tunes with Andrew Christie accompanying on piano

In the Main Hall

The Without Walls Choir performs a set of timeless classics Musical Director: Ben Jenkins

Westerly Winds

Oh Holy Night (featuring the Without Walls Choir) arr Hardy Schneiders A Christmas Fantasy arr Roland Barrett Carol of the Bells Traditional arr. Gary Hoey Secret Agent Santa Jeff Simmons Nutcracker Suite Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky arr Michael Story All I Want for Christmas is You arr. Larry Kerchner Walking in the Air Howard Blake arr Stephen Barnwell Fairytale of New York Jeremy Finer & Shane MacGowan arr Sean O'Loughlin Swingle Bells arr Ted Parsons Home Alone at Christmas John Williams arr Paul Lavender Troika Serge Prokofiev arr Ray Woodfield Holiday Favourites (featuring The Without Walls Choir) arr Roger Emerson & Paul Lavender White Christmas (featuring Rose Tangye, The Without Walls Choir and audience!) Irving Berlin arr. Mac Huff & John Moss

There will be a short interval between the sets in the main hall

Q: What's Daffy Duck's favourite Christmas Carol?

A: In the Beak Midwinter

Westerly Winds

Westerly started off as a teaching band in 2013, with the aim of encouraging lifelong learning and participation in music

Since then it has grown and evolved into a thriving concert band that gigs regularly throughout the year, working with numerous like-minded performers along the way

Tonight's concert marks the end of a busy year for the band that has included some of its most ambitious projects to date, including a very successful collaboration in October with the Bristol School of Performing Arts at the Redgrave Theatre

Westerly rehearses every Wednesday at 7 30pm in Staple Hill We are always happy to hear from anyone who is interested in joining- particularly if you play a bassoon- so if your New Year's resolution is to get back to making music, why not drop us a line for a chat.

Andy Loveridge

Andy is an in-demand musician and educator whose career has taken him all over the world He performed his first professional gigs as a young teenager and hasn't stopped since As well as playing, Andy has worked as MD on many of the major cruise lines including the QE2, where he worked with a host of stars including Gary Barlow and Gareth Gates and conducted numerous shows including Les Mis and The Lion King

Tonight's show marks Andy's Swan Song as he embarks on a new MD role preparing shows for major cruise lines We will be forever indebted to him for what he has done for the band over the past five years

Q: What did the doctor say to the sick carol singer?

A: Wassailing you?

Ben Jenkins

Ben is a composer, pianist and musical director He leads the Bristol Reggae Orchestra, co-directs the Bristol Community Dance Orchestra and conducts numerous choirs in the region

The Without Walls Choir is a collaborative project, bringing together members of Ben's various groups to perform a bespoke set for tonight's performance

We're delighted to be sharing this beautiful space with them tonight

Rose Tangye

We're so pleased to welcome Rose back this year, after she first sung with Westerly in 2019 and then again in May 2022 She has performed with various groups in her home county, Gloucestershire, and has racked up a number of credits including Belle from Beauty and the Beast and the eponymous character in Matilda

In addition to singing, Rose also composes her own songs, plays piano and enjoys film-making It's a pleasure to welcome her back for some festive favourites

Q: What carol would you sing to a three-legged mule?

A: Little Wonky

The Band

White Christmas

Solo intro

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten and children listen To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas *** Where the tree tops glisten and children listen To hear sleigh bells in the snow I'm dreaming of a white Christmas *** May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white

Q: How did Darth Vader know what Luke Skywalker got for Christmas?

A: He felt his presents.

Acknowledgements

A huge thank you to all who have helped to get this concert up and running tonight We couldn't do these gigs without all sorts of work and activity going on in the background

We are very grateful to everyone who has taken part, but special thanks goes to:

Michele Jetzer: Events Director

Andy Gellender: Bar Manager

Lucy Beresford & Izzy Styles: Front of House

And of course to you, our wonderful audience for your continued support and encouragement

We wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and a wonderful New Year

Q: What says 'Oh, oh, oh'? A: Santa walking backwards

westerlywindsstaplehill.com @westerlywindssg Westerly Winds Staple Hill