Organists pull out stops to mark centenary

The Archdeacon of Manchester will help a group of organ enthusiasts celebrate their centenary at Oldham Parish Church.

The Ven Andrew Ballard, an accomplished organist, will lead a thanksgiving service for Rochdale, Oldham and Tameside Organists’ Association on Saturday.

The evensong starts at 7pm and will feature a massed choir. Conductor Ronald Frost, director of music at St Ann’s Church, Manchester, will be joined by nationally acclaimed concert organist Keith Hearnshaw. Proceeds from the collection are in aid of Oldham Parish Church organ restoration fund.

The group was established in 1908 as Oldham and District Organists’ Association and held its first event in January 1909.

It has more than 80 members made up of organists, choirmasters and enthusiasts who visit churches and cathedrals to play.

Last year some of them spent five days in Paris listening to and playing some of the city’s finest instruments. Highlights included sitting in the organ loft at Notre Dame Cathedral during mass and playing the enormous organ at the Church of St Sulpice where part of the film “The Da Vinci Code” was filmed.

President Christopher Lowe said: “The idea of the organists’ association is really a fairly loose fellowship. Over the course of the year we organise concerts at Rochdale Town Hall which has an absolutely fantastic concert organ.

“A couple of Saturday afternoons a year members also play organs at various churches and occasionally we go out of town to visit cathedrals and minsters. Serious organists do get the opportunity to play some good organs.”

The association is nondenominational and members who have gone on to gain national acclaim include David Wickens, former organist at Oldham Parish Church.

Mr Lowe is writing a book about the history of organs in churches and schools in the Oldham and district area, and is particularly keen to hear about instruments which have gone.

He said: “What I love about the organ is the music and the fact that every organ as an instrument is individually built. Every one is different.”

People can contact Mr Lowe on 0161 955 8736 or 0161 626 0917.