THE hall of St Michael at the North resounded with classical songs on Monday lunchtime in what one audience member said was the best concert she had ever seen there.

Singer Julia Hollander and pianist Peter McMullin performed a passionate programme including Tchaikovsky and French song as part of the Cornmarket Street church's beloved Music on Mondays series.

Mr McMullin is best known to many in Oxford as being a permanent fixture at Blackwell's music shop on Broad Street while Mrs Hollander works with community choirs and children's choirs up and down the county.

On Monday the duo were raising money for Alzheimer's research, asking anyone who popped in to enjoy the music to drop a few coins in the donation box.

The church said the audience 'loved the programme', with one person even saying it was the best concert they had ever heard at St Michael's.

Music Mondays are already booked up for the rest of the year: next Monday will see Giles Lewin and Danny Chapman give a concert on violin and cello; December will start will a piano recital by Ikuko Inoguchi and Monday, December 11, will be a 'musical banquet'.

See smng.org.uk/wp/music