A leading classical musician who sang at the coronation of King Charles III is joining forces with a renowned pianist for a special fundraising concert in Stratford-upon-Avon in July.

Internationally-acclaimed baritone Roderick Williams OBE and pianist Susie Allan will perform an evening of classical music in support of Warwickshire Search and Rescue (WarkSAR) at The Croft Preparatory School on Loxley Road on Wednesday 2 July.

Roderick Williams was one of three soloists to perform during the King’s coronation service at Westminster Abbey in May 2023, and is one of the UK’s most sought-after baritones, having performed at opera houses worldwide.

The special concert will give audience members the opportunity to see him in the more intimate venue of The Croft, where he will be joined by collaborative pianist Susie Allan for a recital of material that outlines the story of Schubert’s song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin (The Fair Maid of the Mill). Using a selection of Schubert’s songs as a guide (sung in English), the pair are set to perform some of their favourite numbers from the great flowering of English songwriting from the early 20th century, including music by the likes of Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Ireland, Gurney and more.

All proceeds from the concert will go directly to support the work of WarkSAR, a volunteer organisation dedicated to assisting local emergency services in locating vulnerable missing people across the county. The team, who receive no statutory funding and travel to all call-outs at their own expense, were deployed 79 times in 2024 alone.

Ian Malins, Chair of Trustees at WarkSAR, said: “I’m delighted that Roddy and Susie have agreed to help with our first major fundraising event in support of Warwickshire Search and Rescue.

“People may be aware that Roddy was one of the soloists performing during the coronation service for King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. So to have such a performance taking place in Warwickshire in support of the team is a fantastic opportunity not to be missed.”

For more information and tickets visit the website.