2012 - Birmingham Organists' Association

Annual Service
This year's service, on St Cecilia's Day, featured JOHN PRYER playing the mighty Willis organ and RICHARD MASON conducting Emmanuel's choir in a Choral Evensong that included A Hymn for St Cecilia by Herbert Howells.

Masterclass with Dame Gillian Weir
This extra event had been arranged for Birmingham Conservatoire organ students, and an invitation was extended to BOA members to form part of a small on-stage "audience".  We not only listened to performances of music by Alain, Bach, Buxtehude & Duruflé from four talented BOA student members, but also learned much from the encouragement & advice given to them by Dame Gillian.

LGF fund-raiser & "hands-on"
Resident organist & BOA council member JOHN STORMONT demonstrated the organ, details of which may be found in the Organ of Month Archive.  Donations supported our Leonard Gibbons Fund.

Organ crawl to South Wales
See our Facebook page for photos of this event, which began at Llandaff Cathedral.
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"Hands-on" the 1834 Hill
About 20 BOA members (alerted by email to this opportunity arranged at short notice) took advantage of this event, arranged by John Stormont with THSH.  We had the Town Hall to ourselves for almost three hours - and the music played ranged from Bach to Harold Darke.

BBQ and Quiz with an American "flavor"
Assistant Secretary Nick Fanthom invited us to his home for more than ample food from the barbeque, with quiz questions about American organs and organists.

Visit to the workshop of Kenneth Tickell & Co Ltd, Northampton
A small group of BOA members enjoyed a most interesting two-hour visit to this organ-builder, where a new mechanical-action organ for Newcastle RC Cathedral was in process of construction.

LGF fund-raiser & "hands-on"
Resident organist & BOA member RONALD SHILLINGFORD demonstrated the organ which was transferred here in 1976 from a Staffordshire Methodist Church by Leonard Reeves of Stoke-on-Trent.  Donations supported our Leonard Gibbons Fund.

AGM and annual recital
A new venue for this year's AGM, after which MARTYN RAWLES (Lichfield Cathedral) gave our annual recital on the Nicholson organ rebuilt by Henry Wills & Sons in 2004.

Leonard Gibbons sponsored student event
TOM KEOGH played and (with JAMES ANDREWS) directed the Melisma Ensemble: an evening of British choral and organ music.

CDs/DVDs & beer
Hosted by resident "Gaffa" and organ enthusiast TIM NEWEY, this was an opportunity for members to share each others' favourite audio/video recordings of organ music - with the added attractions of beer and sandwiches at this famous Black Country pub.