With lessening Covid restrictions we have fully resumed meeting in person! There may be members who would like to join us but have transport difficulties. If this is the case for you, please do email the Association at organistassociation@gmail.com so that we can try to put you in touch with members attending events who may be able to help you with this.
- Saturday 25th March 2023 2.30pm – A lecture-recital on North German organ music before J S Bach by Dr Gillian Ward Russell at St Mary’s Church, Maldon
Members will all be aware of the phenomenal importance of the organ music of Johann Sebastian Bach and I’m sure that many members will play some of it themselves. But what happened in North Germany prior to Bach’s incredible appearance on the organ scene in around 1700, when the names of Buxtehude and Pachelbel are only those most people are able to recall? And where were the influences on North German music at that time coming from? All these and other questions will be answered in former EOA President, Dr Gillian Ward Russell’s well-researched lecture-recital to be held on the superbly suited 2 manual & pedal Klais organ recently installed in St Mary’s Church, Maldon.
Travel to Maldon is in members’ own cars, or by bus from Chelmsford or Colchester. There is no parking at St Mary’s, with permits only on most roads close to the church, but there are several pay and display car parks are within a 10-minute walk of the church. The cost is £10 for both members and non-members. Please book for this event as soon as possible, using organistassociation@gmail.com.
- Saturday 22nd April 2023 – All day visit to organs near Gt Bromley & St Osyth.
EOA Committee Member, Dr Fiona Bodmer, has arranged a full day’s outing to the very distant east side of Essex for us, to include both the churches she plays at regularly on a Sunday. The timetable for our day is as follows:
10.30am St Peter & St Paul, Church Square, St Osyth, CO16 8NX
12 noon St Mary the Virgin, The Green, Great Bentley, CO7 8LG
1.15 pm Lunch at Restaurant 43, Great Bentley – must be pre-ordered, see below.
2.30pm St Mary Magdalene, Hall Lane, Thorrington, CO7 8HA
330pm St George, Badley Hall Road, Great Bromley, CO7 7UX
The cost of the day (excluding lunch) is £10 for both members and non-members. Travel is by members cars, although there is a station at Great Bentley from which lifts could be arranged for some members – please let Fiona know in advance if you would like a lift from the station and around the churches. Please book for this visit and lunch, by emailing Fiona Bodmer on fibo12331@gmail.com as soon as possible, please, when you’ll be sent the menu – main course only please.
Saturday 27th May 2023 – IAO Eastern Regional Organ Day - Chelmsford Cathedral
This promises to be an exciting all-day joint event with members of the other Associations in the IAO London & Eastern region, based around French organ music in the liturgy, with artistic directors Philip Prior (EOA) & James Davy (Chelmsford Cathedral). The day will be centred around the two Couperin Masses and de Grigny’s hymns, and will include:
- a Masterclass with William Whitehead on these (for which a couple of wellprepared participants from the EOA will be needed)
- a talk on preparing a new Franck edition by EOA Member Richard Brasier
- Sung Vespers to include some of the music prepared during the day.An all-day joint event with members of the other Associations in the IAO London & Eastern region, based around French organ music in the liturgy, particularly the Couperin Masses and de Grigny’s hymns.
Please see poster below for details: buy your ticket at iao.org.uk/eeod.
Other EOA events in the pipeline for 2022 and 2023 for your diaries include:
- Saturday 10th June 2023 afternoon – The 73rd AGM of the Association and an illustrated presentation by Jonathan Lilley on the life and music of Joseph Jongen at Waltham Abbey Church.
- Sunday 16th July 2023 – 4pm – “A Byrd in the Hand” a lecture-recital by Dr Richard Overill on the life and music of William Byrd at St Nicholas, Witham.
- Saturday 5th August 2023 3pm onwards – EOA Summer Party
- Saturday 30th September – All day visit to organs in Basildon inc. St Martin’s
- Tuesday 24th-Thursday 26th October 2023 - Extended visit to Paris.
- November 2023 – Members’ Composite Recital, date & venue TBC
Further details about all of these will be found in the next newsletter.
Non-EOA Events
Events Promoted by Members
As we are returning to more active lives, please do remember to send your contributions to the list of organ recitals and concerts that you or your church are going to perform. Please send these to the EOA email address: organistassociation@gmail.com .
Members may be interested in the St Andrew’s Organ Week from 30th July – 4th August 2023 https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music/all/short-courses/summer-organ-week/
Here is a list of organ recitals and members’ concerts in our area (don’t forget to check with the venue before you travel that the event is still happening!):
- Monday 20th March at 1pm, St Michael’s Cornhill, London Hilary Punnett (Organ)
- Tuesday 11th April at 1pm, Moot Hall, Colchester Charles Francis (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)
- Friday 5th May at 12 noon, Chelmsford Cathedral Edmund Aldhouse (Ely Cathedral)
- Tuesday 9th May at 1pm, Moot Hall, Colchester Ian Ray (Colchester Borough Organist)
- Saturday 1st July at 3pm, St Mary's Saffron Walden - Anna Lapwood (organ recital)
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