THREE musicians from the Forest of Dean were given “a little help” with their careers in the form of bursary awards at a local choir’s anniversary concert.

The Forest Singers recently hosted their ‘Birthday’ concert in person for the first time since before the pandemic, with last year’s event having taken place online.

The annual concert is a celebration of the community choir, which was founded by Anita Chaloner five years ago, and the best of local musical talent, featuring performances from the choir and their bursary award winners.

This year the main bursary, which is paid for almost entirely by choir members, was shared between two musicians - Talia Recine and Frankie D’Amato.

15 year-old Talia, from Minsterworth, began learning the piano aged three and the violin at five at the Gloucestershire Academy of Music, and gained her Grade 8 with distinction on both instruments by the age of 12.

She recieved numerous awards at the Cheltenham festival when she was younger and more recently has been a member of the Gloucestershire Youth Chamber Orchestra, National Childrens Choir and National Childrens Orchestra.

As a soloist, she has performed several times as part of the Chapel Arts Lunchtime Concert Series.

She currently studies violin and attends Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham.

Frankie D’Amato is a qualified primary school teacher with “a love for music and performance.”

She has enjoyed singing and acting from a young age, from joining the school choir at primary school to performing in musicals at secondary, and says It did not take her long for her to realise that it was something she adored.

For almost 8 years, she has been a member of the Forest Musical Society and has taken on a range of leading roles.

Her favourite songs to sing are ’Sally Smith’ from Me and My Girl and ‘Julia’ from The Wedding Singer.

Whilst currently an activity she does on a weekday evening, Frankie is “very passionate” about musical theatre and is always eager to improve, so that it perhaps might one day be “more than just a hobby.”

She said she was “extremely grateful” to receive the bursary and is excited to use it as a contribution towards achieving her goals.

A Special Award was also given to “brilliant singer” Lola Davies, who at just ten years old made it through to the live auditions for The Voice Kids.

The organisers say using the award to help with the cost of lessons will help Lola towards “what would seem to be a great future in music.”

The awards were presented at the concert at Mitcheldean Community Hall by Coleford Mayor Nick Penny.

Talia performed ‘Allegro Brillante’ by Willem Ten Have to a “spellbound” audience at the concert, while Lola performed a song by Adele which had attendees “calling for more”.

Unfortunately, Frankie was unable to perform as she was still recovering from Covid-19, but has promised to perform at a Forest Singers concert in the future.

The Forest Singers performed a varied selection of songs ranging from ‘Skyfall’ to ‘Feeling Good’, and there was also a “great” performance from Woodland Harmony, a group formed out of choir members.

The event also gave the choir a chance to say goodbye to their conductor, Sarah Waycott, who is leaving her role “after five years of waving her arms about”.

A spokesperson for the choir said: “Sarah has been an inspiration to the choir, having been there right from the start she will be greatly missed.”

New conductor Lewis Hutton will take over in April.

The spokesperson said that with his past experience and “a wealth of musical knowledge and talent”, he is sure to “take Forest Singers into a bright future.”

The choir welcomes new members, with no previous experience is required.

For more information, go to www.forestsingers.co.uk.