Joely Hudson’s Winner’s Concert

Watch Joely’s story

Joely’s self-titled concert ‘Sounds of the Summer’ took place at the stunning St John’s Church on 10th September. To say this event nearly didn’t happen would be an understatement. Joely was actually our 2021 Liz Lawrence Award winner, but thanks to that year’s ongoing COVID situation, auditions for prospective winners couldn’t take place until early 2022. Traditionally our winner’s concert closes off the summer term, but Joely’s win was announced in May and she was already studying at Mountview. So, Sounds of the Summer was billed as a nostalgic look back to the summer we’d just had… until cancellation nearly scuppered plans once again due to the passing of QE11. With all permissions eventually granted the evening could get underway… and nostalgic it was.

As the lights dimmed, Joely quietly took to centre stage on the marble steps of the choir stalls and effortlessly channelled her inner Beth Gibbons, easing the audience in with her stunning rendition of Portishead’s ‘Roads’. Her sweet voice soared to the rafters and just as you thought the moment couldn’t get any more angelic, her ad-libbed alto saxophone solo swept us off our seats as the firey backlit altar framed our talented young winner. What an opener!

pic. Daisy Chapman

… and the rest of the evening didn’t disappoint. Joely’s varied programme ranged from ABBA’s ‘Lay Your Love on Me’ with her good friend Corry Jaffré, to Chopin’s ‘Nocturne’, where she once again took to the steps alone, proving that she’s also quite adept in classical as a style. College buddy Scott Slocombe performed his beautiful self-penned ‘27 Club’ on guitar and vocals - a song paying tribute to those artists who all lost their lives at the age of 27. This piece paved the way for Joely to go wild on her saxophone with an up beat, improvised solo sending us floating into the second half of the evening.

Joely closed off the evening in stark contrast to the sober solemnity in which she’d begun - skipping down the aisle soloing to Take That’s ‘Rule the World’. Nerves a thing of the past, leaving a host of flawless performances behind her ablaze at the front of the church, Joely took her bow crowned as a true professional talent. We know she will go far.

The Liz Lawrence Award is an annual £1,000 prize offered to Y13s heading off to study music in further education. You can find out more about the award and how to apply on our Bursaries page.