September / October 2020Number 80

Derby & District Organists' AssociationRegistered Charity No. 510567

Newsletter

and change the stops. It has been aninvaluable tool for helping childrenappreciate the main elements of amechanical pipe organ and tounderstand how they function andrelate to each other:

�� Hand-operated bellows forcreating wind pressure

�� A weighted storage chest forstablising the pressure

�� The chamber containing palletsthat control entry of air toindividual pipes

�� An eight-note keyboardconnected to individual pallets bypulldown wires

�� Removable sliders interposedbetween the pallet channels andthe board supporting pipes

�� Three ranks of pipes simulating 8foot, 4 foot and 2 foot pitches

One of the many deprivationssuffered by our members duringthe present health emergency hasbeen the complete suspension ofour Children and the Organ (CATO)programme for primary schools.After presenting workshopscontinuously for twelve years, thiswill be the first in which we havebeen unable to stage a single one.

In the absence of any DDOAevents to report upon, I take thisopportunity of highlighting a keyfeature in our workshops which hasenjoyed enduring popularity withattending children. This is theportable “mini-organ”, designedand built by the late Ed Stow. Itsphoto takes pride of place here.The mini-organ is a fully workingmodel; you can play tunes on it

DDOA Events 2020Monday 28th September: Seminar:‘Practice Makes Perfect?’ led by Dr TomCorfield. St Matthew’s, Darley Abbey.(See page 8)

Saturday 17th October: AssociationLunch, Horsley Lodge. (See pages 7 & 8)

Monday 16th November: AGM andChairman’s Evening.

IAO Midlands Organ Day planned forSeptember has been postponed to 2021.

Organ Education - The Mini-Organ

Concerts & RecitalsWednesday Lunchtime Recitals12.30 - 1.10pmat St Modwen’s, Burton-upon-Trent2nd Sept. Tom Corfield (Derby)9th Sept. Cathy Lamb (Lichfield)16th Sept. Ben Mills (Keble College, Oxford)23rd Sept Liam Condon (Lichfield)

In your NewsletterChairman’s Letter……………………..3Bach on YouTube............................4Scotchbrook’s 1930s’ Notebook…..5Members’ News………………….…….5Your Newsletter………….……………6Beyond Derbyshire………..………….6Annual Lunch………………….……….7Forthcoming meetings……………….8

A Derbyshire Beauty

Above: Tideswell Parish ChurchPhoto from the collection of Rodney Tomkins

A typical workshop session in achurch begins with a demonstrationof the resident organ to the wholeclass. Children listen to the varietyof tones in the organ and watch howthe player controls all the stops,manuals and pedals. This is soonfollowed by a rotation of fiveactivities in which children work insmall groups of no more than six.This ensures that everyone has ahands-on (and feet-on!) experienceof organ design and control. Themini-organ is the subject of one ofthe activities. They see thatconstruction uses four mainmaterials; wood, metal, leather andfelt. Considering the mechanics,plenty of levers are in evidence; thehand pump, the keys, the pallets.Then of course the pneumaticcomponents; the bellows, windreservoir and pallet chamber, allrequiring air-tight seals to minimiseleakage.

Wind pressure is created by thetime-honoured method of handpumping. Operating the handleinflates two sets of pump bellowsworking alternately and eachpushing air past a leather flap actingas a non-return valve into the windreservoir above. It is essentialthat the air pressure remains steadyand, as in a real organ, this isachieved with heavy iron weightssitting on the top of the reservoir.

Next on its journey, air enters thechamber below the assembledpipes. The Perspex cover on thischamber allows observation of theindividual pallets, one for each note,and their connecting wires to thekeys below. The quality of thepallets, lever-type valves, is crucialto the integrity of any organmechanism and we see here thetraditional use of sheepskin leatherto secure air tightness when closed.Each pallet allows air into a channelthat supplies a given note for thethree ranks of pipes. These airchannels are enclosed and notvisible, but they run parallel to thekeys. Immediately above them,and at right angles to the airchannels, are the sliders thatfacilitate the stop selection, one foreach rank. Each slider may becompletely removed so that childrencan see the holes which have to bealigned with the pipe positions toallow the air through.

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Teaching point: The volume ofair required in an organcontaining hundreds orthousands of pipes is substantialand the historical method ofhand pumping is onerous andbears a cost. Large organsmight employ two or more menoperating a foot version of thissystem, but as we all know inthe 20th century, electric blowerscame to the rescue, and notablymany were made in Derby.

Teaching point: The palletson our mini-organ arecontrolled by the keys in arudimentary manner, but forlarge organs, builders havedevised numerous technicallycomplex methods of openingand closing the pallets thatensures promptness of speechas efficiently as possible. Anever important factor is to limitthe force required of the fingerson the keys to a manageablelevel.

Teaching point: The mini-organ clearly doesn’t have anystop knobs which are adistinctive feature of organconsoles. In a mechanicalorgan the stops would beconnected to the sliders by asystem of levers. In largerorgans the connections arelikely to be made usingelectrical devices.

Finally, attention can be given tothe pipes. The three ranks emulate aFlute, Principal and Fifteenth. Thedifferent tone and pitches can beconsidered and children canexperiment with differentcombinations. The steadiness orotherwise of the wind pressure isreadily demonstrated and theprocess of tuning the pipes,individually and together can beexplained. (In transit the pipes arestored in boxes and have to bereassembled and tuned when settingup for a workshop.)

In practice a mentor demonstratesthe mini-organ and asks questionswhich relate it to the previouswhole-class demonstration of theorgan in the church. As assistants,children can operate the organ,three at a time; one pumping, oneplaying and one changing the stops.

The mini-organ features as one offive small-group activities in aworkshop. The others are:

● Playing the organ at the console● Working on a solo pedalboard● Designing an organ case● Learning some organ words

Visit our website for full details,

Laurence Rogers

http://derbyorganists.co.uk/community-projects

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Dear Member,

There has been much work taking place behind locked doors during the period of lockdownwith electronic communications humming back and forth between Committee members andothers. When we were released back into the wild we were able to hold an open-air gardenmeeting - possibly the first outdoor Committee meeting in the history of the Association - todiscuss a number of matters, but most particularly matters relating to the legacy from theestate of the late Edmund Stow.

We now know that Ed's sisters, Helen and Ros, have approved the list of suggestionssubmitted to them; They have also added an extra sum for the restoration of organs of thesort with which Ed would have been involved. The criteria to be applied to the distribution ofthis sum have yet to be decided.

There have been a number of matters that have required thought and clarification in orderthat we do not compromise our constitution or our charitable status when allocating thefunds. I have been particularly concerned that future members of the Committee do not findthemselves responsible for actions taken by current members of the Committee and to thatend legal advice has been sought and is now being acted upon in order that we can begin todistribute the funds in accordance with the wishes of Helen and Ros.

The purchase of a box organ to kept in Derby cathedral, but to remain the property of theAssociation, has been approved by the Committee after accepting legal advice; the order willbe placed as soon as the funds are cleared and the colour of the casework has been approvedby the Cathedral Fabric Committee. This is a worthy project through which we can provide apractical, lasting and very public tribute to the excellent work carried out by Ed in Derbyshireover so many years.

Other aspects of the distribution of moneys will require some minor amendments to theConstitution at the AGM in November; advance notice of the proposed changes will becirculated to members. Essentially, we need to make provision for the payment of committeemembers for teaching under the proposed Pianist-to-Organist scheme, and secondly we needto make provision for the payment of the Bursary to a second year organ student.

The legacy will provide for:

�� Four stop box organ - to be built by Robin Jennings

�� Pianist-to-Organist scheme

�� Bursary for a second year organ student

�� Organ recital fund

�� Lectures by international organ builders

�� Restoration of organs in Derbyshire

I should perhaps make it clear that with the exception of the purchase of the box organ theremaining funds will be distributed over a number of years, hence the need for us to becertain that our plans are both legal and constitutional.

On a final note, we should congratulate our Hon. Treasurer, Gillian Chatto, who has added tothe Association funds the sum of £1,250 by moving the Association account from the RBS tothe Coop Bank. Committee members were not entirely able to understand why RBS werewilling to pay us to bank elsewhere. However, we were delighted that Gillian managed thisfor us so successfully.

As we slowly find our way out of lockdown and into a different world, I hope that you andyour families remain safe and secure and are finally able to enjoy public music making oncemore.

With every good wish,

Tony Westerman

Message from the DDOA Chairman

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In my previous article I expressedadmiration for the Netherlands BachSociety performance of Bach’s St.Matthew Passion. If you watched thisyou may have noticed the organcontinuo player for Coro I, one LeoVan Doeselaar. Despite hisdisturbing mannerisms he is anexceptionally fine solo player,particularly of Bach. His performanceof BWV 768, the partita Seigegrṻsset, reveals the tremendousvariety to be found on the organ ofthe Martinikerk in Groningen, whilsthe really captures the stylusphantasticus nature of the Fantasia ing, BWV 542. Note how he plays theFugue that follows.

People sometimes remark that Bachsurely had pupils and associates withhim in the organ loft to pull out thestops. Of course he did, when hecould afford to pay for organ blowers,but that is not the point. Stopchanges, or rather changes ofmanual, should be governed by theinternal architecture of the music.An early fugue, such as BWV 542, orthose of 532 or BWV 564, do offeropportunities for changes of manualsimilar to the compositions of theearlier North German style, but thelater ricercare fugues such as theDorian, BWV 538, do not. See theperformances by Vincent Boucher orMarie-Claire Alain.

Back to Leo Van Doeselaar. Hisrendering of BWV 596, Bach’stranscription of Vivaldi’s Concerto ind, Op. 3 No. 11, also has plenty ofjoie de vivre particularly the shortGrave section before that marvellousfugue with its circle of fifths. Detailsof the organ in the Martinikerk can befound here.

To see exemplary Baroque pedallingwatch the young American, MonicaCzausz, playing BWV 532, thePrelude and Fugue in D. Yes, sheuses heels in the double pedal sectionat the end of the Prelude but watchthe rest!

Thinking about Baroque notation,notice how she plays thedemisemiquaver scales in thePrelude; not strictly in time but as afast tirata. Another young star is thePolish organist Maria-MagdelenaKaczor. Watch her toes fly over thepedalboard in Bach’s Toccata Adagioand Fugue, BWV 564. Her handshapes and the angle of her feet –heels up, toes down, are an objectlesson for this music.

For a different interpretation,played on an organ almost certainlyknown by Bach, there is Hans-AndréStamm on the 1730 Trost organ inthe City Church at Waltershausen.Herr Stamm has two DVDs of Bachorgan works on YouTube. BWV 564is at the beginning of DVD2. Hisplaying is admirable, as are hiscufflinks! It looks as if theinstrument has quite a heavy action.Details of this important instrument,which is set very high in the church,are here.

I had intended to write about somenotable French organs and organistsincluding Jean-Baptiste Dupont at St.Sernin, Toulouse, and PierrePincemaille at the Basilica of St.Denis, just outside Paris. However,this article is already too long, and Ihave not even been able to includethe wonderful pianism of Yuja Wangor Yeol Eum Son.

Peter Williams

To return to Holy Week; manyorganists would have wanted toplay BWV 622, O mensch beweindein Sṻnder groẞ, as part of theirpersonal devotions. No doubt mostwould have played the 3 notegruppetto at the beginning of bar 1slowly and reverently as befits theaffekt of the piece.

This is how Olivier Latry plays it.There might be another way.These three notes do not fit intothis beat so perhaps it should be‘over dotted’ in accordance withBaroque practice. Moreover, if oneexamines the MS facsimile (IMSLP,Orgelbṻchlein p.30) the 3 notegruppetto is squeezed in as tinynotes – almost like an ornament.See, for example, the performancesof BWV 622 by Ton Koopman andJacques van Oortmerssen.

The latter wrote an interestingbook on Organ Technique, ISBN91-973916-7-0, in which heexplored many aspects ofperformance including pedalling.On page 37, talking about 19-Century Pedal Playing, he remarks:“alternating the toes of both feetappears to remain the point ofdeparture, even in extremely highor low positions on thepedalboard.” He then compares apassage from the first edition ofReubke’s Sonate, Der 94ste Psalm,bars 112-121, which uses alternatetoes throughout, with a similarextract from the 1960 OUP edition,bars 110-123, where heelsproliferate.

Some Further Musings on YouTube Offerings - Peter Williams

Arp Schnitger organ at Martinikerk, Groningen Tobias Trost organ at Waltershausen, Thuringia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seFBz-Cxkxwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgDE3klkmtQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrgnSF-4C6Ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQUthAmv0m4&https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2upDLfG2Oshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_in_the_Martinikerk_at_Groningenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YC4oV-lamkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YC4oV-lamkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FilzIfTf8O4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FilzIfTf8O4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab0sjODtRdg&https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab0sjODtRdg&https://www.organartmedia.com/en/heinrich-gottfried-trosthttps://www.organartmedia.com/en/heinrich-gottfried-trosthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pClKYAArUFAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrWzhfvIGk0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho3kHhWByAg

Some more tasty morsels from the notebook ofan organ tuner who worked for J H Adkins beforesetting up on his own. Certain of theseinstruments will still be remembered by a few ofour senior members.

St Werburgh, Derby

Derby’s largest organ until the advent of theCathedral’s Compton in 1939 and the first to havefour manuals. Rather than fill this page with avery large specification, I will give the briefestoutline of its development. It started life in themediaeval church as a 2-manual (prepared 3) byWalker in 1872; the third manual was added in1876. When the church was magnificently rebuiltin 1892/4 the instrument was re-installed byWalker. With talk of the church possibly becomingthe new diocesan cathedral, the organ wasappropriately enlarged to four manuals in 1902 bythe firm of Ingram, but the pneumatic actionfailed; Willis was consequently engaged to rebuildit in 1905 with new pneumatic action. Suffice tosay that the specification now had all theattributes of a smaller, cathedral-type instrumentof the period, with 48 stops including, of course,the inevitable Tuba on the Solo Organ. Ourmember David Johnson was organist in the early1970s, which is when I first got to know both himand this impressive organ. Unfortunately a totalchange of direction at the church quite soonterminated any interest in both organs andorganists and, after eventual church closure, theorgan was rather disastrously disposed of in the1980s.

King Street Wesleyan Chapel, Derby

This impressive, late Georgian style galleried chapel datedfrom 1805; at first it contained an 1850s organ by H Booth,whose casework (possibly enlarged) remained until thechapel’s closure in 1961 (to make way for the Chapel Streetmulti-storey car park). Conacher rebuilt the organ as a 3-manual in 1895 within the old case and, in 1936, the samefirm enlarged it to four manuals. Following closure thisorgan was sold to Queen’s Hall Methodist in Wigan. I do nothave the final stop list (maybe one of our more seniormembers may remember it), but Scotchbrook gives us thepre-1936 specification, which is clearly still very Classical(Booth?) in appearance.

Rodney Tomkins

Members’ NewsWe have great pleasure in

welcoming two new studentmembers, both of whom arestudying organ with Alex Binnsat Derby Cathedral:

Fin Patton from Littleover

Alexander Johnston from Mickleover

We look forward to welcomingthem and their parents to ourmeetings, when they resume.

More from Scotchbrook’s 1930s’ Notebook - Rodney Tomkins

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GreatDouble OpenOpen DiapasonStop DiapasonPrincipalTwelfthFifteenthMixture (3 rks)Trumpet (treble)Trumpet (bass)

7 couplers

SwellDouble OpenOpen DiapasonStop DiapasonViol d’OrchestreVox CelestesPrincipalHarmonic FluteMixture (3 rks)CornopeanOboeVox Humana

PedalOpen Diap.BourdonQuintPrincipalFlute BassTrombone

ChoirViolaDulcianaStop DiapasonPrincipalFluteClarionet (treble)Bassoon (bass)

St Werburgh, Derby

Member’s LetterFrom Richard Wood:

An addendum to the ‘BarkawayLegacy’ (July Newsletter):

One of the first proposals that JohnBarkaway made after he was electedChairman in 1966 was that theAssociation should become a member ofthe Incorporated Association ofOrganists (IAO). From his previousexperience in Essex he thought that itwould be beneficial for the Derby

Association. At that time the Hon.Secretary was Laurence Turner whowas dead against the proposal, as inhis opinion the IAO had started to actlike a Trade Union many yearspreviously. He said that he wouldresign as Secretary if the Associationwere to rejoin the IAO. However theChairman argued that the IAO was nowa completely different organisation.After much discussion the Chairman'proposal was accepted and I waselected to the post of HonorarySecretary. Many happy years ensuedwith the Barkaway Family.

Jack Scotchbrook’s hand-written notebooks record specificationsof all the organs he visited in his tuning round and provide afascinating snapshot of organs of the period in the Derby area.The notebooks were held by the late Ed Stow and are scheduled tobe deposited in the archive of the Association.

Your NewsletterAs Editor, I can hardly believe that

it is now ten years since I took overthe editorial baton from TonyWesterman in June 2010. Initially Iagreed with then Chairman, PeterWilliams, to do it until Christmas,but clearly that passed and I am stillholding the baton! From thebeginning I didn’t want the role ofeditor to subsume printing anddistribution so I am grateful that thecommittee agreed to subcontractthese functions. I also proposedthat a bi-monthly rather thanmonthly edition would suffice to fulfilthe needs of the Association.

It will perhaps interest members toknow a little more about theproduction process which Iestablished at the outset and whichhas prevailed up to the present. Toobtain ‘copy’ I have often cajoledmembers to submit reports ofAssociation meetings and havesuggested articles that mightinterest members. These andvoluntary contributions have alwaysbeen gratefully received and I thinkit vital that the strength gained froma variety of authors is maintained.As Editor I have been happy to doadditional picture research and toflesh out ideas that deserveelaboration. Normally I assemblethe material and devise a layoutduring the week before the copydate, then send the draft to mystalwart proof readers, TonyWesterman, James Muckle and PeterWilliams. Their eagle eyes andcomments are an enormous help.The corrected version, as a pdf file,becomes final and is emailed to

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members and to Melbourne Print(MP) who produce the paper copies.It is notable over the years that thequality of print has increased whilstthe cost per copy has reduced,much as a result of MP’s investmentin the latest printing technology.Finally, copies are collected, packedand posted by Mrs KateLandenberger, Parish Secretary atMelbourne PC. With the onset of‘lockdown’ we arranged for MP topost copies directly. Unfortunatelyin April, Kate underwent anoperation for cancer and has beenvery poorly. Her treatmentcontinues up to the present and Iam sure members will join me inwishing her well for a successfulrecovery.

As a ‘news’ letter, I think eachissue has succeeded to inform andreport on Association events, but ingeneral news of the wider organscene in the Derby area has been aweaker aspect. In this respect I amtotally dependent on memberssending me information on localnewsworthy items, so again I mustplead for members to write to oremail the Editor. However, I think it

fair to say that the range and qualityof reports and articles has beenimpressive and comprises a richresource. All back issues during mytenure are available for downloadfrom the DDOA website, but up tonow access is rudimentary, by dateonly. As a lockdown project I havecompiled an index which allows youto search for items. The samplebelow shows the format.

There are two versions which willshortly appear at the head of theNewsletter archive page on ourwebsite. One version lists items indate order; the second version liststhem in category order alphabetically.In both cases the first column showsthe issue and page number of anitem; clicking on this entryautomatically retrieves the relevantissue. If your web browser has a‘Find’ option, you can search for anyword in the whole list. In compilingthis index I have rediscovered awealth of ideas contributed bymembers in recent years. I hope youwill also find some entertaining andinformative reading during this drearyperiod of lockdown.

Laurence Rogers

Beyond DerbyshireFor me, pictures of the fire

emerging from the west window atNantes Cathedral, immediatelyprompted fearful thoughts about theorgan. True enough, the full scale of

the tragedy later became evident asthis picture dramatically shows.According to Terry Bennett, theinstrument, although altered manytimes in its 400 year history,contained much historic material.Tragically a fine organ has been lost.A taste of its former quality can beappreciated here.

Jane Parker-Smith (1950-2020)

I recall that Jane Parker-Smithgave an impressive recital at DerbyCathedral many years ago. In viewof her recent sudden death, I amgrateful to James Muckle for postingthe Guardian tribute to her career asa concert organist. “Virtuosoorganist admired for the lyricalsplendour of her playing.” Herbrilliant debut was made at theRoyal Festival Hall in 1975,

deputising at five days’ notice forthe indisposed Fernando Germani.From then on she enjoyed a stellarinternational career as soloist,recording artist and broadcaster.The full obituary is available here.

Editor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2435oAvV6shttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/30/jane-parker-smith-obituary

Derby & District Organists’ Association Annual Lunchat Horsley Lodge, Smalley Mill Rd, DE 21 5BL Tel 01332 780838

Saturday 17th October 2020 at 12.00 for 12.30pmMENU CHOICES

Starters:A. Pate with Homemade Fruit Chutney & Toasted CiabattaB. Sweet Cured Onion & Goats Cheese Tart with a Baby Herb Salad (V)C. Caesar Salad with Crisp Romaine Lettuce, Italian Gran Padano, Olive oil, Croutons

& AnchoviesD. Fruit juice (V)

Main Course:E. Roast Loin of Pork with Honey Roast Carrots in a Cider SauceF. Herb Roasted Salmon Fillet with Asparagus in a Chardonnay SauceG. Slow Roast Fillet Blade Steak with Parsnips in a Peppercorn SauceH. Homemade lentil & nut roast, Roast cherry tomato sauce. [V]

Desserts:I. Raspberry Delcie Shortbread with a Raspberry GelJ. Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice CreamK. Chocolate Tart with Chantilly Cream & StrawberriesL. Fresh fruit salad.

Tea, Coffee & MintsPrice £26 [excluding drinks]Places are limited so please book early, by Saturday 26 September at the latest, returningthe slip to: John Maxwell-Jones, 7 Lime Grove, Chaddesden, Derby DE21 6WN.johnmaxj@yahoo.com Do not include payment.Applications will be acknowledged. Please inform John of any dietary requirements well inadvance...............................................................................................................................................................................

I would like to reserve ______ place(s) at the Annual Lunch on 17th October 2020Please indicate the number(s) required for each option. (For a couple using one form please putnames beside the choices.)

Starters: A_____ B_____ C_____ D_____

Main Course: E_____ F_____ G_____ H_____

Desserts: I_____ J_____ K_____ L_____

Gluten free: Yes / No

Other dietary requirements:____________________________________________

Name and contact details;______________________________________________

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www.derbyorganists.co.uk

Items of news or articles for the November / December edition of the should reach the Editor byMonday 19th October, either via e-mail: DDOAnews@gmail.com or by post: Dr Laurence Rogers, 24 St.David’sCrescent, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 4SS. The Secretary, Andy Storer, may be reached viamail@derbyorganists.co.ukPlease visit the DDOA Website www.derbyorganists.co.uk for information about Association activities, past editionsof the newsletter, photo gallery and many special features of local interest.

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Forthcoming DDOA Meetings

Monday 28th September at 7.30 pm in St Matthew’s Church, Darley Abbey

‘Practice makes perfect’ – Seminar led by Dr Tom Corfield

Tom writes:Yes, practice makes perfect, but how do we practise? How can we

use what time and opportunities we have to maximum advantage?These are vital questions for all of us who are players, butunfortunately there are no easy answers. There are no methods thatcan be universally applied; there are no routines that will fit everysituation. Practice is essentially problem-solving and that will varyfrom one piece to the next, from one occasion to the next, and ofcourse from one person to another. Perhaps though there are someunderlying principles which can help us and perhaps there are certainspecific techniques that people might find useful. The meeting offersa chance to explore the topic together and to pool ideas. I hopethat we will all come away with some thoughts about how we canpractise more effectively.

We are grateful to St Matthew’s for allowing us to host this event inthe church. As members will expect during the present healthemergency, we must respect the protocol for personal safety:

● Social distancing

● Face masks (wearing in church is mandatory)

● Hand sanitiser will be available

● Contact details (name and telephone number)

Stewards will request contact details on arrival and will indicateseating arrangements. Refreshments will not be provided, so, ifnecessary, please bring a flask with your favourite tipple.

Annual Lunch Saturday 17th October 2020Horsley Lodge, Smalley Mill Rd, DE 21 5BL

12.00 for 12.30pm

Please note that this annual event will be held at lunchtime this year. It is hoped that many members will findfavour and convenience with this different time.

Our Guest of Honour will be Alexander Binns, Director of Music at DerbyCathedral. Since his arrival in Derby last year Alex has injected energy andenthusiasm into organising and performing in musical events at the Cathedraland beyond. We are particularly pleased that he promptly volunteered to jointhe DDOA and to become a committee member. He has rapidly gainedrespect as a fine player and inspiring teacher. During ‘lockdown’ his energieshave been unabated; amongst many activities he has exploited onlinetechnology to the full, engaging with singers and creating videos (See themhere). In parallel with his Cathedral duties he has earned distinction as aperformer in numerous venues in Britain and Europe.

Booking: A booking form accompanies this newsletter on page 7. Pleasemake your booking by Saturday 26th September at the latest.

Horsley Lodge may be reached from the Coxbench and Kilburn exit of the A38 north of Derby.

mailto:DDOAnews@gmail.commailto:DDOAnews@gmail.commailto:mail@derbyorganists.co.ukwww.derbyorganists.co.ukhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSntLF2fgZO1Ve_hUpqjGIQ