Join us for an unforgettable festive evening of Christmas music to raise money for Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice.
Hosted by broadcaster and journalist Geraldine Peers, the concert brings together the show-stopping talents of
- Katie Sharp Strings - an exceptional collective of musicians, drawn from some of Europe’s finest professional string players
- The historic City of Oxford Silver Band
- The powerful voices of Oxford Welsh Voices Male Choir
- Internationally acclaimed a cappella group Out of the Blue
Our music performers will be supported by the Helen & Douglas House Singers, made up of members of our Care Team, staff and volunteers. The concert will also feature special readings and performances by members of the Helen & Douglas House community.
Meet your host, Geraldine Peers
Our host for the evening is Geraldine Peers, acclaimed broadcaster and journalist. Throughout her career with both BBC and ITV, Geraldine has championed local stories and celebrated the people and communities that make this area so special. We are thrilled to have her guiding us through this festive evening.
Meet our musical performers
City of Oxford Silver Band
The City of Oxford Silver Band is the oldest brass band in the region and can trace its roots to the 1840s.
Over the years, the band has won contest titles, toured Europe and North America, and brought on generations of young players. Its youth band once set a world record by playing without stopping for 28 hours and 45 minutes!
Today the band plays concerts and community events across Oxfordshire, and welcomes players of all ages and abilities to its four thriving ensembles. It also competes each year in the National Brass Band Championships, reaching the finals in both 2025 and 2026.
Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir
The choir was formed in 1928 by Welshmen who came Oxford looking for work at William Morris’ car and Pressed steel factory. Today, the choir is more mixed, but proud of its Welsh heritage and sings in the traditional 4-part male voice style (1st & 2nd Tenor, Baritone and Bass). About a third of their repertoire is in the Welsh language.
The choir is excited to be singing for Helen and Douglas House this Christmas, having hosted them in previous concerts.
Out of the Blue
A long standing supporter of Helen & Douglas House, Out of the Blue is Oxford's internationally acclaimed a cappella group, and the most commercially successful a cappella group in the UK.
Composed of students from Oxford University, Out of the Blue has performed on the West End and on Broadway, reached the semifinals of Britain's Got Talent, and toured around the world to countries including the US, Japan, China, India, and many others!
Katie Sharp Strings
Katie Sharp Strings brings together four exceptional musicians whose collective careers span some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, orchestras and stages. Classically trained at leading institutions including the Royal Academy of Music, The Juilliard School, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, Cambridge University and Freiburg University of Music, the ensemble combines a wealth of international experience with a shared passion for chamber music.
Individually, its members have performed with renowned ensembles including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, London Mozart Players, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Academy of Ancient Music and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, alongside extensive work in London’s West End and international orchestral and chamber music festivals.
Their remarkably diverse careers have also seen them perform and record alongside some of the biggest names in contemporary music, including Sir Elton John, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elbow and Pete Tong, with appearances ranging from Buckingham Palace and the Barbican to major international concert venues.
United by their love of music and a commitment to exceptional live performance, Katie Sharp Strings brings together the richness of classical tradition with the energy and versatility of contemporary music.
Special Guests
Anton Lesser
Anton is an acclaimed stage and screen actor, best known for his roles as Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright in Endeavour, Qyburn in Game of Thrones and Harold Macmillan in The Crown. His performances have earned him four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and a BAFTA nomination for his portrayal of Thomas More in Wolf Hall.
His television credits include Andor, Midsomer Murders and Dickensian, while his film work includes Miss Potter, The Courier and Disobedience.
Trained at RADA, Anton has been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for many years, appearing on some of the UK's most prestigious stages, including the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe, earning widespread acclaim for his work in classical and contemporary drama.
Caroline Harker
Best known recently for her role as the dastardly Dr Todd in ITV's Emmerdale, Caroline has enjoyed a celebrated career across television, film and theatre.
Her television credits include War, A Touch of Frost, Foyle's War, New Tricks and Coronation Street, while her film work includes Mothering Sunday and The Madness of King George.
Trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, she comes from a distinguished theatrical family and has appeared on some of the UK’s leading stages including the National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre.
Anthony Calf
With a career spanning nearly five decades, Anthony has performed on stages across the UK and internationally, from London to Broadway, working with leading theatre companies including the National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Court Theatre.
He has appeared in the original production of The Madness of George III with Nigel Hawthorne and My Night with Reg.
On screen, Anthony has appeared in more than 50 episodes of the BBC's New Tricks, as well as productions including Pride and Prejudice. His recent film work includes Anthony Hopkins’ King Lear. Anthony is also an experienced radio performer and poetry reader, with appearances on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4.
Guests will appear subject to availability.
Additional Information
Event Timings
Concert hall bar open from 18.30 for drinks.
Doors to the auditorium will open at 19.15.
The concert will start at 19.30 and is expected to end just before 22.00. There is a drinks interval.
Refreshments
There is a bar to buy refreshments before the concert and during the interval. Please note that no drinks can be taken into the concert hall and so must be consumed in the bar area before entering.
Personal Property
Bags larger than a standard handbag or small rucksack (30 x 30 x 15cm) must be stored in our free cloakrooms before heading for your seat. Sorry, no folding bikes. The cloakroom will be open from 18.30 on the evening.
Travel to the Concert Hall & Parking
The Concert Hall is inside the Schwarzman Centre in the heart of Jericho, Oxford’s most curious corner. The Centre is right behind Woodstock Road and Walton Street, next to Radcliffe Observatory and the Blavatnik.
The full address is:
Sohmen Concert Hall
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
The University of Oxford
Radcliffe Observatory Quarter
Woodstock Road
Oxford OX2 6GG
Accessibility
The Schwarzman Centre is a fully accessible building, with all floors accessible by lifts. If you find yourself without access to a certain floor, the reception staff are always there to assist.
Every floor has accessible WCs, with a Changing Places facility available on the Basement 2 level (B2).
There are dedicated wheelchair spaces in the concert hall.
Please see the full accessibility guide here.
There is blue badge parking around the site.
Christmas Cards & Raffle
Christmas Cards
There will be a selection of Helen & Douglas House-branded Christmas cards for sale in the foyer before and after the concert, as well as Christmas tree decorations and other festive items handmade by our wonderful crafting volunteers.
Raffle
Enter our raffle to win one of three luxury prizes. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase on the night, before the concert starts and during the drinks interval. Winners will be drawn during the second half of the concert and announced towards the end.
All proceeds from the sale of Christmas cards, raffle tickets and other items will go to the hospice.
Facilities
There is a cloakroom, accessible toilets with changing facilities and a bar which will be available from an hour before the concert until the end.