Welcome to our website!

Thanks for stopping by.

You may contact our webmaster via the e-mail address on the left, or contact our membership secretary on 01204 526211 to get in touch.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, 8th February 2025, 2.30pm

Organs of the World, an illustrated talk by Mel Plumley

St Paul's Church, Halliwell, Bolton BL1 8BP NPOR | Survey [N10666]

We are pleased to be joining the members of Bolton and District Organists' Association for this event.

Please visit our Syllabus page for a full list of this year's events

We collaborate with other local associations, to which some of our members also belong.  Please also visit their websites:

Bolton Organists - Welcome

Oldham Rochdale & Tameside Organists' Association

To watch the recital of winning entries performed by Marc Murray click Organ recital

 Organ Recital for MOA

MOA Organ Composition Competition -

Announcement of winners and First Performance

Organ Composition Competition

We received a great many entries for the competition, and the winning entries was  performed in recital at Albion URC, Ashton-under-Lyne by Marc Murray.

Copies will be on sale on the day at £5.00 thereafter £8.00 (plus p&p)

The entries were adjudicated by Malcolm Archer

Herewith the results

First:                Paean  (Stephen Burtonwood)

Second:           Improvisation on ‘Dream Angus’   (Simon Clarkson)

Joint third:      Toccata Primavera (John Wright)

Adagio in F  (Christopher Cotton)

The following works will be included in the publication :

• Voluntary on the Old 117^th - Simon Clarkson
• Remembrance – Robert Cockroft
• Ludus Contrapuctus -Thomas Muir

To order a copy, please email marcm1969@gmail.com (£8.00 plus p&p)

Cheques & BACS payment to Manchester Organists' Association

About the Association

Manchester Organists' Association was founded in 1913 with the primary object of promoting the appreciation and study of music in general, and organ music in particular.  The founding President was the organist of Manchester Cathedral at that time, Sir Sydney Nicholson. Membership is open to anyone in sympathy with these aims, whether or not they play the organ (or any instrument).
Meetings of the Association normally take place on a Saturday of each month between September and April (except for December), though there may be additional meetings outside this period and on other days of the week.  An Annual Lunch for members and friends is held in May following the Annual General Meeting.
As the majority of our members live or work in the cities of Manchester and Salford, or adjacent boroughs, most of our meetings take place in the Manchester area, but we also make occasional playing visits to interesting organs in other parts of the country.

In addition to recitals and talks by our own members and guest speakers, master-classes, and concerts of chamber and choral music also feature in our programmes.  Meetings are usually followed by refreshments and an opportunity to socialise.
Membership is free to full time students, as we are particularly keen to encourage interest in the organ among young people, and are willing to arrange additional events for their particular needs.  Our newsletter, which appears at least three times a year, gives details of these and other local musical events of interest to members.  We are affiliated to the Incorporated Association of Organists and members are entitled to receive the IAO's excellent quarterly magazine Organists' Review at reduced rates.
If any of these activities interest you, why not come along to one of our regular meetings as a guest: the current Season's meetings are listed on the Syllabus page.  We are always ready to welcome new members.

Membership of the Association is by annual subscription, renewable each September at the start of the new Season.  Details of current membership rates are listed below:-

Secretary:
Br Roger Briscoe Tel: 07368 541794    email: brogerdom16@gmail.com

Treasurer and Data Protection Officer:
Mr Ken Fayle, 41 School Bank, Norley, FRODSHAM, Cheshire WA6 8NW
Tel: 01928 788 986 (mobile: 07711 058 835)

Membership Secretary:

Mr George Housley - Tel: 01204 526 211