Details of our Syllabus are given below. Please contact the Secretary for updates and booking information. |  |
Saturday, 25th September 2010: St Paul's Heaton Moor
7.30 p.m. Inaugural Meeting and Composite Recital
We start our 98th season as usual with a joint recital by our own members.
Kevin Drury, Jack longstaff, Edward McHale, Simon Mercer and David Sanders are already booked to play. Any other volunteers please contact the secretary.
Refreshments will follow in the Church Hall.
Saturday, 30th October 2010: Visit to Handforth
1.00 p.m. Handforth Methodist Church NOTE THE TIME!
Full details will appear here in tyhe September newsletter. A further visit to Styal Methodist Church may follow.
Saturday, 20th November 2010: St Matthew's Stretford
7.30 p.m. Choral Concert by Cantoris, directed by Ken Fayle
NOTE THE DATE - not our usual "last Saturday"
This event will be open to the general public.
Saturday, 29th January 2011: St John the Divine, Brooklands
7.30 p.m. Music for organ and choir by Philip Underwood
Directed by the composer, who is also Choirmaster at Brooklands.
Refreshments to follow in the Church Hall. This event will be open to the general public.
Saturday, 19th February 2011: Christ Church, West Didsbury
7.30 p.m. Concert by the Dulzian Wind Ensemble
NOTE THE DATE!
This event will be open to the general public.
Saturday, 26th March 2011: All Saints' Church, Stand
7.30 p.m. Celebrity Recital by Robert Sharpe, Director of Music at York Minster
Event promoted by Stand Music and Arts Group
Saturday.30th April 2011: St Ann's Church, Manchester
7.00 p.m. Annual General Meeting
Including installation of President for 2011-2012, and followed by a recital at 8 p.m.
Saturday 14th May 2011: Alma Lodge Hotel
1.00 p.m. Annual Luncheon
In view of the decline in attendance at our Annual Dinner in recent years, we are trying a different time of day, though the style of menu offered will be similar.
The Guest Speaker will be Dr Peter Chatfield, General Secretary and Chief Executive
of the Incorporated Association of Organists.
A Summer Outing is still under consideration - a report on this year's event appears below:
Saturday, June 12th 2010: Summer Outing to Merseyside
A total of nine members travelled by car to the various venues. The organ of St Thomas Eccleston (St Helens), a three-manual Harrison & Harrison in a very resonant building was a good start to the day, and we were grateful to Peter Bellis for standing in for the regular organist to put the instrument through its paces before we all tried it. Also to Roland Parry, the churchwarden for his generous hospitality.
After lunch, we proceeded to the church of St John, Tuebrook, in Liverpoool. A magnificently decorated church by G.F.Bodley with an unaltered three-manual Hill of 1870. Thanks here to John Peace for introducing the instrument to us, and the recently retired incumbent, Canon Paul Niner, for making the arrangements for our visit. The organ has an unforgettably brilliant tone enhanced by the superb acoustic. A real gem and, we were told, the only genuine William Hill organ remaining playable in Liverpool.
A short drive to the neighbouring parish of St Anne, Stanley followed for our next port-of-call. The large three-manual Rushworth & Dreaper of 1916 had a specification typical of its period with very little upperwork (not a single 2' stop!), but proved to be of quite brilliant tone, again helped by a wonderfully resonant building. The church has a choir of 45 members, and a large congregation, so the organ is regularly put to good use.
Our final call was at the Church of St Matthew and St James, Mossley Hill, a huge Austin & Paley building sited on top of the hill. The large three-manual Willis is housed in a very tall transept, allowing the sound to project well into the nave. There is practically everything you want on this organ (including a French Horn stop!), and after the incumbent organist (Colin Porter) demonstrated the range of the instrument with Brahms' Prelude and Fugue in G minor, the members enjoyed putting the instrument through its paces, bringing the day to a very fitting conclusion.
We are very grateful to Colin Porter for suggesting the venues, for joining us at the last three churches, and for his hospitality at Mossley Hill. Also, due to the regular organist of St Anne's, Stanley, being away on his honeymoon, Colin also introduced and demonstrated the organ there!