From the ashes rises the Phoenix!

… well, the recession that we are emerging from has left us with a great deal more than 'ashes', but it none the less has had a profound effect on many unlucky individuals in our community, and it is no modest work to find hope and a positive spark in difficult times. Perhaps it is not the majestic phoenix risen from the modest ashes of our receding recession, but the enticing offering of our radiant local songbird. . .

Even the most challenging times produce a few sparks of light and life, and the 'current climate' is no exception. Though things are amiably beginning to pick up now, the slow economy of the last few months has had a knock on effect for many of our musicians and performing artists that have found that, as corporate and personal budgets have been cut either prompted by need or caution, live entertainment is usually the first casualty cut from the budgets of events and special occasions.

Of course this puts our performers and professional entertainers in the same cautious budgeting stead as the rest of us pinching our pennies and looking forward to the return of more prosperous days, though there are always those who can't help but find opportunity in every such challenging experience.

Many of us have managed to find some respite in the resulting slowing of the constant grind of work and deadlines and in the last few months have come to enjoy ticking some of those personal boxes that have been neglected for so long now. We've spent more time with our families and friends, rediscovered some local excursions, and reinvested ourselves into projects that we've been pining to do but never quite found the time to set in motion.

Sara Hartley is no exception to this optimistic creed. As a professional classical soprano Sara divides her time between performing for events in London and around the UK, directing her music agency and juggling family commitments. Though she spends most weekends captivating the hearts of audiences for their personal and corporate events she rarely finds the time to fulfill goals which derive closer to home.

"A big part of the reason I began singing was to share the beautiful melodies that I love so much with people. To me success is not fame, but rather the ability to inspire people to enjoy music which they hadn't considered before. These days many people rarely consider attending a live classical event, but I find it so rewarding that at the types of events that I often sing for I get to perform for many of these such people and absolutely love the reaction that many of them have to the performance. You can almost see them considering what they might be missing and thinking about seeking out other similar experiences. It is this experience that I want to take this rare opportunity to bring to my friends, family and neighbors whom share other aspects of my life with, but with whom I don't usually get to share this amazing experience."

This is why it is with great joy that Sara has found the time recently to approach St Mary's Church, an acoustically and aesthetically beautiful setting, who have welcomed her request to put together a programme of some of her favourite music to share with us in Welwyn for a Sunday afternoon performance on the 28th of June at 2:30pm.

The programme will be accompanied by Sara's exceptionally talented colleagues, pianist Scilla Stewart, harpist Rebecca Hooper, and local professional violinist and violin teacher Pia Jeppesen.

Sara has chosen a short 45 minute performance beginning with haunting melodies by Caccini, Handel, Purcell and Grieg many of which you will recognise even without knowing by name, followed by a set of Welsh folk songs, some opera favorites by Puccini and Bizet, and finishing with the laughter of two of Johann Strauss's waltzes. "I'm very excited to be able to design this programme based on what I love and want to sing for my friends because usually my performance is dictated by the event. It's really liberating to be able to design a performance the other way around."

Sara has been a highly successful performer living among us in Welwyn Garden City for the last seven years, and now since August Welwyn Village. Though you will no doubt detect a subtle American lilt to her spoken voice, as she spent most of her childhood growing up in Seattle, her mother's family has been living in the Garden City since it was only beginning to spring from the fields. She earned her Masters Degree in 2001 with Distinction in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with the talented mezzo-soprano and vocal department chair Wendy Hillhouse. Her operatic lead roles include that of Gretel in Hansel & Gretel in San Francisco, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro in Berkeley, Loretta in Gianni Schicchi in Minnesota and Julie in Carousel in St Albans. Some of Sara's many achievements in competition include San Francisco Conservatory of Music Scholarship, Burlingame Music Club Voice Competition First Prize, California Federation of Music Clubs Competition Prize, St. Olaf Orchestra Senior Soloist, and the Winston Cassler Music Scholarship.

Since returning to Hertfordshire in 2002 Sara has been performing professionally and building up her musicians agency, Hartley Voices, which is a leading online agency for classical singers and familiar source to many of the events companies in London and the UK for singers and musicians for events in the UK and abroad. Sara works with a particular interest in helping recent graduates of the music colleges (the Guild Hall, Royal Academy, Royal College, and Trinity Collage of Music particularly) to function successfully within the tricky world of the modern music industry, performing to the standard that helps to create vibrant returning audiences.

The recital will take place to mark the end of the Welwyn Festival Week, and proceeds from the sale of tickets will be given to support the festival's charities, The Friendship Club, 2nd Welwyn Scouts & The Cat Survival Trust caring for endangered species of cats in captivity.

Tickets for the performance are £8 and can now be purchased at Hill & Co, High Street, Welwyn, by phoning Hartley Voices on 0207 096 1637, or at the door. Advance ticket holders will receive priority seating.