Author: Jessa

How do I measure a year?

I’m looking back on 2025 ….starting with January and February.

Highlights include a feelgood Friday workshop at RURAL ARTS Thirsk, a trip down South to plot songbirds and #inharmony with Mary, a musical bridges session, the launch of my ‘Jessa’s Voice Notes ‘ newsletter with help from Zoe Douthwaite from Clarity OBM, and my first performance at Mojos Music Cafe .

But a very special memory was my ‘a tapestry of life…and more’ with Malcolm Maddock at York Unitarian Chapel . I will never forget that day which we both knew deep down would be our last performance as a duo. Such a lovely group assembled as our audience and such overwhelming feedback too.

How do I measure a year – now it’s the turn of March & April. Easingwold Community Singers (and a few Helmsley Arts Centre Singers) and York Military Wives Choir all did me proud with their sets at The Joseph Rowntree Theatre Choir Festival.

Another joyful musical bridges session happened, and on the same day, my first ‘vocal troubleshooting’ workshop.

The second #inharmony vocal retreat at Snape Maltings with Mary from Singing it back was a full-on few days, filled with conversation and song, helping people along their vocal journeys and having the chance to use so many skills I’ve developed – from one to one teaching to group singing, songwriting, wild singing and performing, all in beautiful surroundings. Can’t wait for the next one.

April also saw the beginning of a new collaboration – with Tim Moon on a new recording of ‘The Hermit’ – such a different and exciting project..more to come on this as I report on the live performances in the Summer.

How do I measure a year? May and June brought more performances of a tapestry of life, at RURAL ARTS Thirsk and Theatre at 41 York, a joint concert with York Military Wives Choir and York Railway Institute Band , my first workshop with Romanby WI , and the chance to sing at the special 40th anniversary services for St Leonard’s Hospice at York Minster and Selby Abbey . Wigginton Primary School Singstars did me proud at the York Music Hub Choral Festival, and Easingwold Community Singers did a great job complementing my solo set at the Easingwold Summer of Music. I dusted off my violin for the live performances of ‘The Hermit 2025’ with The New Rowan Band, and sang at a lovely 80th birthday party up the road in Middlesbrough!

July started on a very sad note, with the heartbreaking loss of MFA Malcolm Maddock just days after his beloved wife Mo. It was an honour to be able to say goodbye to Malcolm at St Leonard’s Hospice , where this devoted pair were cared for in their final days.
It was hard to get on with things after this, but of course I had to. I put on the ‘singing celebration’ event with the help of my singers and the wonderful visiting choir New Egham Singers , and together we created an evening of community and connection, including my own personal tribute to Malcolm, ‘Alfie’.
Husthwaite Village Hall welcomed me for my next tapestry performance, and Easingwold Community Singers presented me with a lovely collage canvas to celebrate 15 years of the group – they have come a long way since ‘Easingwold Can Sing’ in the band room, and some of these singers have supported me through some very difficult times. 🧡
The end of July saw me immersed in Durham Fringe Festival – connecting with Fringe pals old and new ( Stories Alive Ben Donaghy Tracey Yarad Stephen Cronin to name a few, plus top snapper Richard Eyers 📷), performing a new set ‘a tapestry of song’ with plenty of looping and some overwhelming audience responses, and running 2 ‘sing your cares away’ workshops. I had considered cancelling my involvement but throwing myself into this friendly Fringe was just what I needed.
What I also needed, after such sadness and some nagging health issues, was a break – time with family, time by the sea, time to breathe.
How do I measure a year? In moments of sadness and celebration, calm times and hectic times. Constantly searching for the balance.

Measuring the moments of 2025 – here in September & October, I was making new connections, renewing older ones, and performing new songs in new spaces.

It was wonderful to re-connect with friends from my teenage years – Debbie Cannon Actor at her fab performance at Helmsley Arts Centre , and David Watters at my tapestry show at The Bridge House Theatre , where I was so heartened by the range of friends who came to support (some of them pictured! ) David’s smile and warmth haven’t changed in the 35 years since we last met and I was so grateful for his kind words. At this date, I performed a new song for the first time (Done…I must carry on working on this) and I also performed the thought-provoking ‘Things’ by Tracey Yarad which was an honour. I also found some new Tapestry fans in Sheffield ( Dore & Totley MusicDavid Ashworth )and I hope to work with them again.

I took up 2 extra opportunities in September with Military Wives Choirs , covering their virtual choir for my friend Happy Helly , which was fun once I’d dusted off my tech set up, and also leading a combined choir of MWC ladies at York Theatre Royal for the opening night of Military Wives – the musical! This was a great experience and even gave me a moment of fame on the telly ( BBC Look North )

October ended with one of my 2025 highlights, a new version of the Songbirds collaboration with Mary from Singing it back at Hampton Hub Club . So great to work with Mary, the Songbirds musicians Meredith White , Todd Brown and Steve Butcher , plus all the choirs and soloists. A true team effort and I’m looking forward to the next steps for Songbirds next year.

Oh, and I had a birthday! Celebrated at York Singing For All with Jessa CIC with a special cake. Another year older, many more songs sung , with and for many many lovely people.

2025 ended with a flurry of projects and performances, and I’ve tried to fit a few November/December highlights here….

The members of my TEN DECADES CHOIR won’t forget ‘a night to remember’ at York Barbican with Big Ian – bringing people of all ages together to sing remains one of my favourite things.

York Military Wives Choir pulled out all the stops for their remembrance events, both the York Festival of Remembrance and the concert at Selby Abbey with Jacob Walsh – The Yorkshire Tenor (we sneaked in a lovely duet too – thanks for that Jake!)

I popped over to Pro Vox – Professional Vocal Training in Liverpool to watch Vocal Process in action at a ‘finding the you in every song’ masterclass day, always inspiring!

Then the festive events began. Sing for SASH at Castle Howard , Helmsley lights with Easingwold Community Singers and Helmsley Arts Centre Singers , Entertaining Angels for Helmsley Arts Centre and Helmsley Parish Church , Easingwold Community Christmas at Easingwold Galtres Centre , all the amazing performances from the children at Wigginton Primary School , carols at The Commercial, Easingwold , the festive singalong lunch at The Olive Branch, Easingwold , finishing up with my 2 festive workshops – a fun, intergenerational musical bridges for Singing For All with Jessa CIC , and a contrasting, chilled, ‘yuletide bridges’ which turned out to be one of my favourite events, working on a selection of new and lesser known seasonal songs from writers like Lou Blackburn and Jake Alexander with a lovely small group.

I fitted in 2 radio chats as well – talking with Joanita on BBC York then Tony Livesey on BBC Radio 5 live – I can talk about the benefits of singing forever, as I see the evidence every day…anyone reading this far who is looking for podcast or radio guests, keep me in mind!

I’d like to thank everyone for their support and friendship through 2025 – my singers and students, colleagues and collaborators, and those who just keep an eye on what I’m up to on here. I appreciate you all and wish everyone a happy and healthy 2026. I am really lucky working with such lovely people in all my various roles and projects.
Jessa x 

After a busy few weeks, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on the past 6 months or so of singing larks……a lot has been happening!

After taking ‘Two Bards and a Songbird’ on a journey from Dundee to York and Helmsley, I was straight on to devising my new show ‘a tapestry of life’ – this involved actual writing of songs! Putting my sister Andrea’s poetry to music and producing and performing a show incorporating those alongside classic Carole King songs was a real labour of love and I was so pleased to be able to perform it at Durham Fringe Festival and Dundee Fringe Festival – as well as record an actual album of the show at Beckview Studios! Yes, you can ask Alexa (or whatever your streaming service of choice is) for ‘Jessa Liversidge, a tapestry of life’ and it will play – exciting times.

Such heartwarming feedback from audiences too – this show is full of raw emotion and it was so moving to see audience members taking their loved one’s hand at different moments, tears falling, and people coming and sharing their stories with me afterwards, telling me how the words of certain songs resonated with them. Very humbling.

I was really pleased with this review from FringeReviewUK of a tapestry of life at Durham – who graded it a ‘highly recommended show’ with some really lovely comments. You can read it here –

October saw the launch of my collaborative Songbirds project with my dear friend and fellow singer/singing leader Mary Bourne. We each hosted a ‘home’ performance of Songbirds, each providing different special guests (singers from our choirs and some of our one to one students) and with each venue having a different Songbirds band – amazing trios of musicians who picked up all our many and varied songs with aplomb. Two very different venues and atmospheres, but two packed and happy audiences and sets of talented guests. We’re now in talks with different locations, venues, and choir leader colleagues about taking this show around the country – and we’re both looking forward to taking the project further in coming months and years. Do get in touch if you’d like to talk to us about bringing it to a venue near you!

I was due to take part in the York Festival of Remembrance this year – always an emotional and moving occasion – as MD for York Military Wives Choir. However, when the booked female soloist took ill just 24 hours before the event, I was asked to step in, performing some of my own choices (thanks Malcolm for stepping up to play at short notice!) as well as learning 2 songs from the original programme and leading the prom section with the York Railway Institute Band. Luckily I thrive on a bit of stress and it all came together pretty well, all things considered. The York MWC ladies did me proud as well.

Amongst all this performing, touring, and recording, have been some wonderful new workshop opportunities – with Calder Valley Voices, with Karen Sutton – the widow coach on her RISE day, an intergenerational come and sing at Durham Fringe Festival, the inspiring ‘in harmony’ vocal retreat with Mary at Snape Maltings…..already booked for 2025 include a new workshop at Rural Arts in Thirsk in January, the second ‘in harmony’ retreat in March, and a new series of ‘musical bridges’ sessions…..and hopefully many more! It’s so rewarding to bring together a new group of people each time, using singing to create such close connections and harmony within minutes. Love it!

The next 6 weeks or so will be mainy filled with festive songs, with lots of Christmas concerts and performances approaching. The first is on 29th November and the last on 19th December, with just about every day between those dates having at least one event. Luckily I love it all, and can’t wait to get going on all these songs with my groups and students this week. I MAY have been a little over-ambitious with how many songs I can teach in a matter of weeks…..we’ll see! See you on the other side……when I’ll report on what’s in store in 2025.

2024 promises to bring new songs, new singers; new venues, new collaborations……watch this space for all the details! For now, I’m looking forward to seeing all my groups this week and students next week, and putting plans in place for some exciting events coming up this year.