EOA

Organ recital - Ashley Grote, Master of Music, Norwich Cathedral
2025-10-14 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | Colchester Moot Hall, High Street, Colchester CO1 1PJ

Three day extended visit to organs on the island of Jersey
2025-10-14 - 2025-10-16 | Essex
Good news! Following on from the success of our extended visits to Bristol, Portsmouth and Bath, it has been confirmed that we will be visiting Jersey in the Channel Islands in October for three days of playing, kindly organised by EOA Committee Member Andrew Stevens for the EOA. A full programme of visits to nine churches on the island has already been lined up:
Tuesday 14th October:
St John’s Church (2MP, 25 stops)
Coffee / Lunch Break
Trinity Church (2MP, 22 stops)
Ebenezer Methodist Church (2MP, 9 stops)
Sightseeing
Evening Meal
Wednesday 15th October
St Thomas’s Roman Catholic Church (2MP, 21 stops)
St Mark’s Church (2MP, 27 stops)
Coffee / Lunch Break
St Helier Parish Church (3MP, 50 stops)
Evening Meal
Thursday 16th October
St Paul’s Church (3MP, 27 stops)
St Saviour’s Church (2MP, 25 stops)
Coffee / Lunch Break
St Andrew’s Church (2MP, 24 stops)
Evening Meal
Further details, including full specifications for organs not on NPOR, will be provided in due course to those who have expressed an interest in participating in the visit. Members who wish to participate in this extended visit will need to book their own flights or ferries, as well as a hotel. We recommend staying in the centrally located Premier Inn Charing Cross in St Helier (not to be confused with the Premier Inn Bath Street, also in St Helier). We know from previous extended visits that being in the same hotel as other participants very much adds to the enjoyment of the visit, as well as making it easier to sort out lifts, etc. You should aim to arrive no later than Monday and to leave no earlier than Friday if you wish to participate fully in the visit. There will be a charge of £10 per day per player, and a charge of £5 per day for non-players or students. Three EOA Committee members will be taking their cars to Jersey, so transport around the island and between the venues should not be a problem, but please show your appreciation by being generous when you give petrol money to your driver(s), as taking a car to Jersey is not cheap. Transport will probably not be required on Wednesday 15th October as we will be visiting churches within walking distance of the hotel, though less able people may prefer to take a taxi. Now that it has been confirmed that the EOA extended visit to Jersey is taking place, please send expressions of interest to Andrew Stevens if you have not yet done so, using a.stevens50@btinternet.com.

Southend Symphony Orchestra
2025-10-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Southend High School for Boys, Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea SS0 0RG
EOA member Joseph Zammit has been in touch to tell us about a concert he is organising with the Old Southendian Organ Society and Southend Symphony Orchestra, which features organist Roderick Elms and the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. Not to be missed!
Southend Symphony Orchestra performs:
– Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 (The Organ Symphony) with organist Roderick Elms
– Haydn: Cello Concerto in C with soloist John Chillingworth
– Walton: Crown Imperial
Saturday 11th October 2025, 7:30 pm (with an optional pre-concert talk from 6:45 pm)
Southend High School for Boys, Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0RG
Details and tickets (£12 for adults) via https://www.osos.org.uk/events

Organ recital - Philip Prior
2025-10-10 12:30 - 14:00 | Beverley Minster, 38 Highgate, Beverley HU17 0DN

Piano recital - Jonathan Lilley
2025-10-07 13:00 - 14:00 | St James the Great, CO1 2QB

Chelmsford Cathedral Organs - 30th anniversary celebrations
2025-10-03 17:00 - 20:30 | Chelmsford Cathedral, Chelmsford, Essex
There will be a special celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Chelmsford Cathedral organs on Friday 3rd October at Chelmsford Cathedral, with a talk from former Director of Music, Dr. Graham Elliott, and a recital from the current Assistant Director of Music, Samuel Bristow. The full programme is as follows:
5.15pm Celebratory Evensong
6.15pm Refreshments
7.00pm Welcome
7.10pm Talk from Dr. Graham Elliott, former Director of Music
7.30pm Recital from Samuel Bristow, Assistant Director of Music
8.30pm Drinks Reception
Everyone is welcome! If you, or anybody that you know, are thinking of going, please RSVP to music@chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk.

All day visit to organs in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire - CANCELLED
2025-09-27 10:00 - 16:30 | Bishops Stortford

Organ recital by Dr Emma Gibbins, St James the Great, East Hill, Colchester
2025-09-02 13:00 - 15:00 | St James the Great, CO1 2QB

Organ recital by Krystian Kaniecki, St Francis of Assisi Church, Colchester Road, Halstead
2025-08-31 16:00 - 17:30 | Essex

Organ recital by Dr Emma Gibbins, Ridgewell Parish Church
2025-08-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Essex
We do hope that members will be able to join us on the afternoon Sunday 17th August for what promises to be an enjoyable programme of social activities organised by EOA Vice-Chairman & Treasurer Michaela Cottee, beginning with a recital at 3pm by the new EOA President Dr Emma Gibbins at St Lawrence Church in Ridgewell, North Essex, followed by refreshments and an opportunity to socialise (cost £10, including refreshments afterwards). We will then drive the short distance to Clare in Suffolk, where there will be an opportunity to play the organ in the church of St Peter & St Paul – an instrument which world-renowned organist Wayne Marshall OBE has recently said he wants to play (no charge but donations welcome)! We will then walk the very short distance to the (excellent) Mughal Knight restaurant on the High Street for a curry and drinks at 6.15pm. We hope that you will be able to join the President and other members of the Committee for a convivial meal. Please note that diners are expected to pay for their own meals, and that this restaurant does not have an alcohol licence, so you should bring your own alcoholic drink(s) – there is no corkage charge, and the restaurant will provide a corkscrew, glasses, ice, etc. Soft drinks are available to purchase from the restaurant, so please do not bring your own soft drinks. You are welcome to join us for one, two or all three of these activities. To help with planning and catering, please RSVP to EOA Vice-Chairman & Treasurer Michaela Cottee using MichaelaCotteeEOA@gmail.com.

Pipe-Up! event: organ music and illustrated talk for Play the Organ Year
2025-08-16 18:30 - 20:30 | The United Reformed Church in Chappell, Rose Green, Colchester Road, Chappell, Colchester, CO6 2AB
The Royal College of Organists has designated 2025 as Play the Organ Year. Our Chapel contains a fine small historic pipe organ and has an experienced organist Anthony Percival who with David Tibbetts-Chaplin, the Chapel’s very capable assistant organist, are presenting Organ Music and Illustrated Talk. Afterwards you can have a go!
Free entry with light refreshments. No parking at the church.

Organ recital by Jonathan Lilley, Ely Cathedral
2025-08-10 17:15 - 19:00 | Essex

Organ recital by Philip Prior, St Augustine's Limbury, Luton
2025-08-05 12:15 - 14:15 | Essex

All day visit to St Mary's, Dedham and Royal Hospital School, Holbrook
2025-07-19 10:00 - 17:00 | Essex
In this joint visit with The Organ Club, organised by EOA Committee Member Andrew Stevens, we are delighted to be able to visit the large 2 manual and pedal Binns organ at St Mary’s Dedham, recently installed, as well as to be invited back to play the huge 4 manual and pedal 1933 Hill Norman and Beard organ in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital School, at Holbrook, near Ipswich. A pre-booked cooked lunch, provided by the school catering, is already included in the visit fee for this event which will be £20 per person. Given that the visit is taking place very soon, if you have not already booked a place on this visit it may be too late by the time you read this. To enquire about the availability of places, please email EOA Committee member Andrew Stevens using a.stevens50@btinternet.com. Note that a pre-booked cooked lunch, provided by the Royal Hospital School, is included in the visit fee for this event. If you have booked a place on this visit and have dietary requirements, please let Andrew Stevens know immediately so that he can let the School know.

Organ recital by Logan Williamson, Chelmsford Cathedral
2025-07-11 12:00 - 14:00 | Essex

Organ recital by Dr Emma Gibbins (Chelmsford Cathedral) at St Edward's Parish Church, Romford
2025-06-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Essex

Organ recital - Thomas Trotter, Birmingham City Organist (Thaxted Parish Church)
2025-06-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Essex

Annual General Meeting with supporting attraction and start of 75th celebration year
2025-06-15 | Chelmsford Cathedral, Chelmsford, Essex
To mark the 75th anniversary of the re-founding of the Essex Organists’ Association (then known as the Chelmsford & District Organists’ Association) after the Second World War in June 1950, by the then Master of the Music at Chelmsford Cathedral, Dr Stanley Vann, this year’s Annual General Meeting took place at Chelmsford Cathedral and was followed by a special Choral Evensong and a meal at a nearby restaurant. The 75th Annual General Meeting, which took place in the Cathedral Chapter House, marked the end of Philip Prior’s seven-year Presidency of the EOA. Then came a special celebratory service of Choral Evensong, with the new EOA President, Dr Emma Gibbins – who is Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral – conducting, in the Cathedral at 3.30pm. This was followed by an informal drinks reception in the Cathedral to which all the congregation, choir members and clergy were invited. Samuel Bristow, Assistant Organist at Chelmsford Cathedral, played for the service. The concluding voluntary was the premiere of a new work composed by Sam, called “Essex Paean”. This work was specially commissioned by the EOA to mark the 75th Anniversary. A copy of this commission has been made available to current EOA members with this newsletter. At 5.30pm, 15 people, including the new EOA President Emma Gibbins, former EOA Presidents Philip Prior and Richard Brasier, and the composer Samuel Bristow, went for a group meal at a nearby Italian restaurant, Il Palazzo – a very sociable and enjoyable conclusion to a very special afternoon of music and celebration. Whilst thanks are due to everyone who attended or was involved in some capacity, particular thanks are owed to EOA Committee members Andrew Stevens and Michaela Cottee for organising the refreshments, to former President Philip Prior for making all the arrangements with the Cathedral and the restaurant, and to Samuel Bristow for his composition. Special thanks are owed to the new President Emma Gibbins who not only curated a wonderful musical service, but who also spent several hours making and icing special ‘organ stop’ biscuits which were enjoyed by the choristers, and others, after the service.

Organ recital by Philip Prior, St James' the Great, East Hill, Colchester
2025-06-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Essex

IAO Eastern Regional Day at Our Lady and English Martyrs, and other venues in central Cambridge
2025-05-31 | Essex
Following on from the IAO Eastern Region Organ Day based around French organ music in the liturgy, hosted by the Essex Organists’ Association in 2023 at Chelmsford Cathedral, this year’s IAO Eastern Region Organ Day, hosted by the Cambridge Organists’ Association, took place at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs (OLEM) on the Hills Road in Cambridge. About 45 people were in attendance, including a pleasing number of EOA members. After registration and coffee, there was a brief introduction and welcome from the President of the Cambridge Organists’ Association, Charles Hall, and from the Director of Music at OLEM, Nigel Kerry. In the morning we were treated to a very interesting and thought-provoking Keynote Address prepared and presented by Alexander Berry, Director of Music at Great St Mary’s in Cambridge since 2023 and Director of Music at Bradford Cathedral before that, on the very important topic of working with young people and encouraging them in church music – both choral singing and organ playing – followed by a lengthy and wide-ranging Q&A session. In the afternoon, representatives from each of the participating Associations took part in a composite recital at OLEM. There were open console sessions during the lunch break and after the recital at three different venues, and the organ in OLEM was also available for people to play immediately after the recital.

Organ recital by Jonathan Scott, St Mary's Church, Dedham
2025-05-10 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mary’s Church, Dedham
Opening recital on the newly installed Binns organ by Jonathan Scott.

Organ recital - school staff and students (chapel of New Hall School, Chelmsford)
2025-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | New Hall School

All day visit to village organs in the area to the east of Colchester
2025-04-12 10:00 - 17:00 | Essex
On a lovely April day with super weather, a good number of members and friends visited three interesting and historic instruments at parish churches in Bradfield, Mistley and Ardleigh. At St Lawrence, Bradfield, John Barrow, the church’s organist, met us and talked about the organ that we see today. Originally a 3 manual and pedal instrument, it was rebuilt in 1964 by Cedric Arnold as a 2 manual and pedal organ. After a short drive, which included lovely views of the River Stour estuary, we arrived at our second venue of the day, the Georgian Church of St Mary and St Michael, Mistley, and after an excellent lunch at The Wooden Fender, Colchester Road, Ardleigh, we moved onto our final venue of the day, nearer into Colchester. This was the lovely medieval parish church of St Mary’s, Ardleigh, with very East Anglian flint exterior and excellent Victorian interior restoration. Our thanks to EOA Minutes Secretary, Chris Denney, with the help of his wife Nancy, for organising such a great day out for us, including arranging the wonderful food and weather!

Stainer's Crucifixion and music by Schubert, Howells, Purcell and Mendelssohn
2025-04-06 15:00 - 17:00 | Billericay Methodist Church
Musical Director: Ed Sutton; Organist: Philip Prior.

Organ recital - William Saunders (Chelmsford Cathedral)
2025-04-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Chelmsford Cathedral, Chelmsford, Essex

All day visit to organs in Reed, Standon and Ware, Hertfordshire
2025-03-29 10:00 - 16:00 | Essex
A good number of our members drove the distance to Hertfordshire for this joint event organised by our colleagues in the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Organists’ Association, to visit 4 very different organs that the EOA had not visited before. We began with a brand new 2 manual & pedal tracker organ built in 2024 by N P Mander of Canterbury in the small village church of St Mary’s, Reed, between Ware and Stevenage on the old Roman road. We then travelled to St Mary’s Church, Standon, a medieval church with an incredibly high chancel, dating from its earliest days. After an excellent and convivial lunch at The Star pub opposite the church, where members of both Association were able to socialise, we drove a few miles to the large market town of Ware for our afternoon visits – the Parish Church of St Mary’s and Christ Church. Our thanks to our colleagues in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Association for their excellent organisation of an excellent day out!

Organ recital - Jonathan Lilley (Waltham Abbey Church)
2025-03-19 13:15 - 14:30 | Temple Church, London, EC4Y 7HL

Organ recital - Claudia Grinnell (St Edmundsbury Cathedral)
2025-03-07 12:00 - 13:30 | Chelmsford Cathedral, Chelmsford, Essex

IAO London Organ Day
2025-03-01 10:00 - 17:00 | St Botolph’s Aldgate and St George’s German Lutheran Church
IAO London Organ Day at St Botolph’s Aldgate & St Georges’ German Lutheran Church. Details from https://iao.org.uk/london-organ-day/

Organ recital - Robert Poyser (Beverley Minster)
2025-02-12 13:00 - 14:30 | Lion Walk URC, Colchester
