DORSET’S award-winning folk duo Ninebarrow will be performing in a spectacular one-off concert at St James’ Church in Poole backed by two of the south’s finest choirs.

A former primary school teacher and GP, Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere, have garnered plaudits from across the UK folk roots scene, including folk legend Seth Lakeman and Mercury Music Prize nominee, Kate Rusby.

The duo, named after Nine Barrow Down in the Purbeck hills, have gone from strength to strength since taking up full-time musical careers in 2017 and have performed a number of special ‘choir concerts’ in recent years.

These concerts have been masterminded by St Paul’s Cathedral Choir member, Roy Rashbrook. As well as being musical director of three choirs, Rashbrook has performed as a soloist with many of Britain’s leading orchestras, with his performances appearing on numerous CD recordings, film soundtracks and radio and television broadcasts, both at home and abroad.

Band member Jon Whitley explained: “We’ve had a couple of really superb concerts with two of Roy’s choirs in previous years. They really have been some of the most exciting and enjoyable evenings we’ve been involved in—they’re just totally unique and really offer something different for the audience. Having performed with both choirs separately, we thought it’d be fantastic to bring both of the them down to Dorset for a ‘double-choir-spectacular.”

In this one-off concert, Ninebarrow will be joined on stage by both the Hart Voices choir from Fleet and The Chantry Singers from Guildford, delivering some of the duo’s best-loved songs from their three critically acclaimed albums. The addition of Rashbrook’s subtle choral arrangements promises audience members a truly special evening not to be missed.

The concert is at 7.30pm on Saturday, May 4 (doors at 7pm). Tickets £14 in advance (£16 on the door). For further details see ninebarrow.co.uk/stjames.