Wollaton Hall may be best known for its heritage and grandeur but this Sunday afternoon it will ring out with jazz in Harmony at the Hall’s first show of the year.
At the heart of the transformation is Wendy Smith, drummer, organist, volunteer and organiser, for whom music has become a natural part of the hall’s life.
Wendy, who lives in Bilborough, pioneered the concert series after retiring in 2023 following 10 years as a Nottingham city councillor, and former Lord Mayor, is the only female member of the Nottingham based jazz quintet Cool Jazz who will take centre stage as the first of the six concerts in this year’s series.
Formed by musicians who also play in the long established Shipstone Street Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece big band that has been performing for over 20 years, the quintet grew out of a desire to explore jazz in a more intimate way.
“We wanted to do more jazz, but in a different way,” Wendy explained.
The result was Cool Jazz, a group specialising in easy listening swing and Latin music from the 1930’s through to the 1970’s. Alongside their big band commitments, they play six gigs a year, all of which are for the love of performing and “seeing the audiences toes tapping” rather than for financial reward.
“I’m just trying to use the hall for things which would benefit the public and benefit the council as well.”
Wendy Smith, Harmony at the hall organiser
Beyond performing, Wendy is the driving force behind Harmony at the Hall and after having volunteered at Wollaton Hall for over two and a half years, she spotted an opportunity to bring music back into the historic Great Hall.
Wendy said: “When I was being shown around, I noticed the organ.
“I asked if I could play the organ, the manager said yes and then when I played it, I thought, why don’t we play this for the public because it hadn’t been played for a really long time and never regularly.”
She added: “I started demonstrating the organ once a month to the public and that went down well, and so I thought it would be lovely to have regular concerts in the great hall.
“I suggested we have maybe six concerts a year, one every two months and it would be different kinds of music.”
Previous performers have ranged from chamber orchestras and wind ensembles to clarinet choirs, while the Carlton Male Voice Choir has proven so popular that they’ve sold out every appearance.
“We do it because we love playing.”
Wendy Smith
The series has even expanded beyond seated concerts with a Christmas carol event last December that attracted around 700 visitors throughout the day.
“I’m just trying to use the hall for things which would benefit the public and benefit the council as well,” Wendy added.
This Sunday, Cool Jazz will take to the stage as part of the Harmony at the Hall series, bringing their relaxed swing and Latin sound into one of Nottingham’s most iconic spaces. For the band, the success isn’t measured in profits, just in the size of the audience and shared enjoyment of live music.
“Most of us are retired. We do it because we love playing.”
She added: “The bigger the audience, the more enjoyable it is for everyone.”
Tickets for the event, which will begin at 2pm in the Great Hall at Wollaton, are available online for £11, or for £10 from the Wollaton Hall shop and are known to sell out. If you can’t wait, buy here!
