SALISBURY CATHEDRAL AND PIPE UP! FREE OPEN DAY FOR YOUNG ORGANISTS - SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY, 10AM - 2PM

Salisbury Cathedral and pipe up! are running a free open day on Saturday 13 February for young organists and keyboard players aged between 11yrs – 20yrs.

It is a great opportunity for students from Grade 2 standard upwards to visit the Cathedral and see and hear its famous Father Willis organ demonstrated by David Halls, Director of Music, and Daniel Cook, the cathedral’s organist. David Halls will also run two informal masterclass sessions for the young organists, where they perform and work with him on their own pieces. Thanks to a large video screen and microphones, what goes on in the organ loft will be heard and seen by their family and friends sitting below in the quire. The open day ends with a short recital.

Robert Fielding, who heads the pipe up! initiative, said “We are extremely grateful to David Halls and Daniel Cook for their enthusiasm and input into what should be an inspiring day for these young organists. We are also grateful for the support of Salisbury Cathedral and its staff.”

David Halls, Director of Music at the Cathedral and Chairman of the Salisbury and District Organists’ Association, said “I am very keen to support pipe up! which encourages young musicians in the Diocese to learn the organ and gain experience playing the instrument. I am delighted to be hosting this event as it gives me a chance to meet young musicians and do my bit to encourage them to work at and enthuse about the ‘king of instruments’. I hope that our young guests will enjoy this opportunity to play the marvellous cathedral organ and take their musical skills and enthusiasms to their own churches.”

To register to take part in the open day or for further information email: s.flanaghan@salcath.co.uk or call 01722 555148.

pipe up!, funded by The Tindall Trust, aims to establish regular Saturday morning workshops in churches and schools throughout the Diocese of Salisbury to encourage young musicians to learn the organ and gain experience playing the instrument. Each workshop is subsidized by The Tindall Trust so costs each pupil just £10 per session. Already one successful workshop has been established in Dorchester under Richard Godfrey’s tutelage and pipe up! hopes soon to be able to offer regular workshops in the North and South of Wiltshire. pipe up! also subsidizes regular one-to-one organ lessons with Robert Fielding at St Martin’s Church, Salisbury, for interested would-be organists.