Andrew Fletcher receives his BOA Life Membership certificate from our president, Paul Carr

A very French evening centred around Louis Vierne: BOA Council member Michael Jones played some of his (rarely heard) piano music while BOA President Paul Carr provided some of his organ works.  The evening concluded with French wines, quiche, vol-au-vent and tarte tatin, arranged by Nick Fanthom & Eddie Guard.

Our annual service took the form of a Mass in the Anglo-Catholic tradition at West Bromwich, where BOA council member Aled Liddington is organist.

07 Aug 10
Symphony Hall, Birmingham

For the first time in eight years, BOA was able to arrange (via John Stormont - many thanks to him) a Saturday morning "lock-in" for members at Symphony Hall  to hear & play the Klais organ - and be given a guided tour of the backstage facilities.  We were particularly grateful to SH staff for allowing this to continue in spite of the strict security in operation for a hastily-arranged visit to the ICC by the President of Pakistan.

The AGM was followed by a buffet lunch and recital on the Hill organ in St Augustine's by BOA member David Saint of Birmingham Conservatoire and St Chad's Cathedral.  The programme concluded with Mozart's F minor Fantasia, in his 250th anniversary year.

Many thanks to Council member Ron Close for organising the "organ crawl" to hear & play three substantial instruments in Wolverhampton city centre: Darlington Street Methodist (Nicholson), St Peter's (Father Willis) and St John's in the Square (Renatus Harris).  It was a particular pleasure to be able to chat to Trevor Tipple, whose firm has recently completed a fine restoration of the 1682 Renatus Harris instrument.

An entertaining evening listening to organ CDs, provided again by Richard Priest of Allegro Music, on the school's hi-fi system.  This was followed by cheese, wine & good conversation.  BOA member Nick Fanthom came first in the quiz and received a free CD!

Our President, Chris Stormont, demonstrated 21st century organ music in this "New Music" event.  All the pieces had been written in the last five years by composers such as Andrew Carter, Graham Morrison, Alan Spedding, and BOA Past President Andrew Fletcher.

This year's major educational event was the visit of Colin Walsh, Organist Laureate of Lincoln Cathedral, to give a lecture-recital on the organ music of Olivier Messiaen.  Colin concentrated on some of the more accessible (and less difficult to play) pieces, but ended with a virtuoso performance of Transports de Joie on the Walker organ in the RC cathedral.

For the third year in succession, the venue for our Annual Service was new to the Association.  BOA Council Member Kevin Gill is Director of Music here, and the organ was stylishly played by Past President Andrew Fletcher.

The annual buffet once again presented the opportunity for bargain-hunters to purchase organ music from the association's second-hand collection, managed by Council member John Tesh.

Organ recital by BOA council member Paul Carr on the Willis organs (both of them!) at Emmanuel Church, in aid of the Leonard Gibbons Fund.

Outing to Nicholson's organ works in Malvern, where members were made very welcome by Directors Guy Russell and Andrew Moyes: a fascinating morning in their workshops followed by a demonstration of the organ at Malvern Priory, which Nicholson & Co has recently restored.

This year's AGM was followed by a buffet lunch and recital on the Walker organ in Birmingham's RC cathedral (a favourite venue for the association) by Christopher Allsop

The "organ crawl" to Kidderminster allowed members to hear and play three large organs, including the historic William Hill organ of 1855 in the Town Hall.  We were made very welcome at all three venues.  Special thanks to Borough Organist Tim Morris for all the background information.  Look out for details of all three instruments in our "organ of the month" feature.

Social Evening, with mulled wine and mince-pies, hosted by IAO Hon Gen Sec John Stormont.  Games included one to test our ability to locate on a map of the UK various places with famous hymn-tunes named after them!

Mick Perrier rose from his sick bed to host an evening entitled "Now Get Out of That!".  A succession of questions, amusing anecdotes and much helpful advice (from President Andrew Fletcher and several other experienced organists) about how to survive the funny, bizarre and downright frustrating problems that organs - and clergy - can create.

A new venue for the Association, where our annual service comprised Vespers sung by the choir of this Roman Catholic church.

The association's trip to the Lincoln area was a wonderful day out.  Many thanks to Nick Fanthom, who organised it.  The event culminated in the party crowding into the organ loft on the Screen of Lincoln Cathedral with Organist Laureate Colin Walsh to hear and play the magnificent Father Willis.

The association's annual buffet included an opportunity to buy second-hand (and some new) organ music at bargain prices, plus the opportunity to hear the Nicholson organ (featured as July's "Organ of the Month") put through its paces by BOA council members Kevin Gill and Paul Carr.

Organ recital by BOA President Andrew Fletcher on the wonderful Walker organ in the city's RC cathedral, in aid of the Leonard Gibbons Fund.  Music by Bach, Dupré, Reger and Healey Willan.  This event raised over £400 for the fund.

Young Person's Guide to the Organ - the annual event organised by Mick Perrier, Anglican Diocese of Birmingham Music Adviser, which is designed to introduce young people to the organ.  It included visits to a number of instruments around the city.

This year's AGM was followed by a buffet lunch and a recital on the large HN&B in the Great Hall of the University by Alexander Mason of Lichfield Cathedral 

A fair number of hardy BOA members braved a bitterly cold day to visit four churches in Leamington Spa.  Organs by Compton, Hill, and Rushworth & Draper were heard and played - not to mention a brand new three-rank chamber organ by Richard Moore.  Some of us even noticed on our travels a harpsichord by Robert Goble & Son and a harmonium by "Alexandre et Fils, Paris".  A number of these instruments will feature as future "Organs of the Month".

The "Workshop for Beginners" was an opportunity to develop skills, solve problems and meet each other.

A most worthwhile journey to Coventry to hear Plymouth Organ Competition winner John Robinson put the very fine Harrison & Harrison through its paces, including music by Bach, Buxtehude, Dupré, Mozart and Vaughan Williams.

An entertaining evening listening to organ CDs, provided by Richard Priest of Allegro Music, on the school's hi-fi system.  This was followed by cheese, wine & good conversation.  BOA member Paul Carr came first in the quiz and received a free CD!

A change of day (to Tuesday) and a change from Choral Evensong!  The association's Annual Service at this United Reformed Church began with Tye's "O Come, ye servants of the Lord" and included Elgar's "Fear Not, O Land"

"Working relationships between organists & clergy".  Chaired by The President, with Rev Dr Martin Roberts (St Mary's Selly Oak) and Rev John Hellier (Shirley Methodist), members exchanged experiences on this most important topic.  Good communication, a responsibility of both organists and clergy, is the key to success!

The association's Annual Buffet was preceded by entertainment at the grand piano from "Pipeline" students, and by organ solos from MARK BATTEN (Birmingham Conservatoire).  The St Mary's organ is featured as June's "Organ of the Month".

AGM and President's Evening.  With the business soon over, we were entertained for the rest of the evening by Andrew Fletcher who had devised an organ music quiz, the answers to which spelt out "Goodbye David and thanks" - a reference to the imminent departure from St George's of organist (and BOA past president) David Bruce-Payne.
Click here for a Message to all members of the Association from David Bruce-Payne

Many thanks to Association President ANDREW FLETCHER for an impressive recital that raised over £300 for the Leonard Gibbons Fund.

This year's annual recital was given at St Philip's by JEFFREY MAKINSON, Assistant Organist, Manchester Cathedral, and included Bach's monumental Prelude & "St Anne" Fugue in E flat

An enjoyable social evening for over 30 members & partners, with good food followed by a most entertaining speech by Canon Michael Blood, who revealed some of the secrets of the BBC's religious programmes.

Association Annual Service: a feast of choral music for Evensong from Mick Perrier and his choir, which began with Parry's "My soul, there is a country"

A large number of members gathered early on this Saturday morning to hear, play, and be given a guided tour (by organ scholar Shaun Turnbull) of the huge Klais organ.  Both the Association, and its individual members, made substantial voluntary donations to the Symphony Hall Organ Appeal.

A most interesting day out in the Rugby area, visiting
· Princethorpe College (3-manual by Binns, 1900)
· St Peter's, Dunchurch (2-manual by Grant, Degens & Bradbeer, 1972)
· St Andrew's, Rugby (3-manual by Hill, Norman & Beard)
· Rugby School Chapel (4-manual by Kenneth Jones, 2001)

The Quaker Meeting House houses a small 2-manual Harrison & Harrison that was a gift from the Cadbury family.  Following musical entertainment by members of the Council, association members enjoyed an excellent buffet.

A visit to see, hear and play St Matthew's, Walsall (4-manual, rebuilt 2001) and All Saints', West Bromwich (3-manual, rebuilt 2002), both fine examples of the current work of Nicholson & Co of Worcester.