EOA

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

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.

All day visit to village organs in the area to the east of Colchester
2025-04-12 10:00 - 17:00
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!

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

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.

IAO Eastern Regional Day at Our Lady and English Martyrs, and other venues in central Cambridge
2025-05-31
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 Philip Prior, St James' the Great, East Hill, Colchester
2025-06-03 13:00 - 15:00

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

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

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

All day visit to St Mary's, Dedham and Royal Hospital School, Holbrook
2025-07-19 10:00 - 17:00
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 Philip Prior, St Augustine's Limbury, Luton
2025-08-05 12:15 - 14:15

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

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 Dr Emma Gibbins, Ridgewell Parish Church
2025-08-17 15:00 - 17:00
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.

Organ recital by Krystian Kaniecki, St Francis of Assisi Church, Colchester Road, Halstead
2025-08-31 16:00 - 17:30
At the end of August, EOA student member Krystian Kaniecki gave an organ recital at St Francis of Assisi RC Church in Halstead. Krystian is supported by the EOA’s Christopher Kingsley Memorial Fund (CKMF) which pays for Krystian to have organ lessons. There was a large audience present to hear Krystian give a very assured and enjoyable performance. Krystian very kindly donated half of the retiring collection to the CKMF, for which the EOA is very grateful.
Krystian’s programme was as follows:
Toccata and Fugue in d Minor BWV 565 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Priѐre a Notre-Dame from ‘Suite Gothique’ Léon Boëllmann (1862 – 1897)
Polonez from ‘Pan Tadeusz’ Wojciech Kilar (1932 – 2013)
Organ Sonata 6 in d Minor Felix Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847)
Prelude on the Hymn Tune ‘Rhosymedre’ Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)
Sortie in Eb Major Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély (1817 – 1869)
Well done Krystian!

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Three day extended visit to organs on the island of Jersey
2025-10-14 - 2025-10-16
Seven players and three non-players participated in the EOA’s Extended Visit to Jersey during the October half-term week. The visit was arranged by Andrew Stevens, who is a frequent visitor to the Channel Islands and responsible for tuning the organs that we visited. Although Jersey is just 9 miles wide and 5 miles high, it contains a rich variety of churches and organs as well as impressive coastal scenery and a fascinating history stretching back to prehistoric times.
With the help of three people who had taken their cars with them, participants had the pleasure of visiting and playing nine very different organs across the island, the smallest being the 2MP 9 stop 1923 John Walker & Sons organ at Ebenezer Methodist Church and the largest being the 3MP 50 stop organ in the Town Church, in St Helier, originally built in 1926 by Jardine & Co but much modified over the years. The only other 3MP organ which we played was the 3MP 27 stop 1913 J.W. Walker & Sons organ in St Paul’s Church, St Helier. Every organ that we visited had its merits, but for several people the favourite was the 2MP 21 stop 1959 Henry Willis & Sons organ
in St Thomas’s Roman Catholic Church, enhanced by a generous acoustic.
Most participants stayed in a Premier Inn in St Helier, but meals were enjoyed in a variety of locations around the island, including several with sea views. The camaraderie amongst the participants and the variety of instruments that we visited, combined with good weather, helped to make for a very interesting and highly enjoyable visit, which could not have been improved upon in any way. Thanks to Andrew Stevens for all his work in securing the venues and ensuring the organs were in good voice, and to Michaela Cottee for helping to prepare the visit documentation.

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

Organ recital - Jonathan Lilley with Carleton Etherington and Darius Battiwalla
2025-10-18 12:00 - 14:00 | Leeds Minster, 2-6 Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ
Gala recital in memory of Simon Lindley (1948-2025)

Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies - The English Organ
2025-10-25 11:00 - 17:00 | Cambridge
On Saturday, October 25 the Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies will present the first of three annual events celebrating the legacy of Professor Peter Williams, a major figure internationally in the study of the organ and its music and the first Patron of CAOS. This year The English organ is our focus with a masterclass led by Margaret Phillips, talks by John Mander with demonstrations of three organs marking stages of the organ’s development over as many centuries, and a commemorative lecture by William McVicker.
11.00am masterclass at Trinity College, chapel available from 10.30am for arrivals.
12.30-1.30pm lunch break (own arrangements).
1.30-3.30pm visits to three organs: Great St Mary’s University organ, Pembroke College and Queens’ College.
4.00pm-5.00pm Dr William McVicker gives the Peter Williams lecture in the Cavonius Room (on the Caius College site on West Road, directions will be provided).
Please reply to CAOS Secretary Tim Patient <tim.patient@gmail.com> if you wish to attend.
Price £45
Full-time students £20
For further information go to www.cambridgeorganacademy.org

Organ recital by Timara Easter, Waltham Abbey Church
2025-10-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Waltham Abbey Church, Highbridge Street, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1DG

Concert - Richard Brasier (organ) with Anne Page (harmonium) and James Lipka (piano)
2025-11-01 16:00 - 18:00 | Exeter College Chapel, Turl Street, Oxford OX1 3DP
Part of the RCO Organ Forum on César Franck, but bookable separately.

"Pipe up for pipe organs" event, Broomfield Church Hall
2025-11-15 14:30 - 16:00 | Broomfield Church Hall, Broomfield Parish Church (St Mary with St Leonard), Church Green, Broomfield CM1 7BD
We were delighted that George Allan, Chairman of ‘Pipe Up for Pipe Organs’ (www.pipeup.org.uk), agreed to talk to EOA members in Broomfield Church Hall in November about the somewhat depressing future for pipe organs, in a talk entitled “Getting Disorganised?”. ‘Pipe Up for Pipe Organs’ is a charity set up in 2022, which aims to save pipe organs threatened with destruction. Perhaps the most well-known organ rescued by ‘Pipe Up’ is the Henry Jones organ (known as Henry) which is available for the public to play at London Bridge Station.
George Allan is a retired solicitor and an adult learner of the organ. After many years involvement with building conservation, his passion is now for organ conservation. His excellent talk contained many depressing statistics. For example, in Victorian times there were 43,000 organs, now there are 15,000. 1,280 Anglican churches closed during the 20-year period 1969-1989 and it is estimated that 2,000 churches will close over the next 5 years. But pipe organs are being lost even when churches are not closing. It is estimated that 1,520 churches have organs in urgent need of repair, and a further 6,000 need major repairs. On top of that, it is reckoned that 20% of organ-builders will retire in the next 10 years and won’t be replaced. Longer term projections suggest that half of Britain’s remaining organs could be lost or unplayable by 2040 (i.e. in just 15 years’ time). By 2065 it is possible that there will only be a handful of playable organs (estimated to be 165 instruments) remaining outside of cathedrals, Oxbridge colleges and major parish churches.
Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. One possibility might be to train churchwardens and people with responsibility of the care for church organs as to what can be done to keep their instruments playable. Money is clearly an issue, and George explained how the National Lottery Heritage Fund now rarely provides support for organ projects. The only other thing that can be done, it seems, is to advocate for the organ, by raising public awareness and increasing appreciation of the organ, attracting new audiences and encouraging more people – young people in particular – to take up the organ.
There then followed a very stimulating discussion and refreshments.
