TICKETS are on sale for a classical music Christmas concert, featuring some of the finest talent from the area.

Resident pianist at the Savoy, London, Lorna Stevens; pianist Taylor Higgs; opera singer Anton Van Der Mere and the Southend Youth Symphony Orchestra will all be starring in the charity fundraiser.

Taylor Higgs, who plays in the duo Levent and Taylor and also the successful touring covers band the Fundamentals, has been climbing high since first attracting attention on the local music scene when he was taken, as not much more than a child, by his dad around open mic events to stun audiences with his ivory-tinkling talents.

The Southend 20-year-old, who is currently also studying at the London College of Music, has been writing a sonata for a year, which has not yet been heard in public. He plans to unveil it that night.

The event is being held in support of the Southend Vineyards Building fund and the Alzheimer's Society.

Rick Higgs, who is organising the event, said: “The Southend Vineyard is a church which has been moving around town renting rooms and venues for years.

They thought it was about time they had their own building.”

The Alzhemiers Society is also close to Rick’s heart, as his late mumwas a sufferer of the disease.

* The concert takes place on Saturday, December 12, at 7.30pm at the Plaza Centre, Southchurch Road. Tickets are £8.50 or £6.50 for concessions. Buy them by calling 07532 191814, 01702 712900 or via eventbrite.uk