CONTENTS

ALTON ORGAN SOCIETY  (Founded 1967)

Patrons - David Sanger, David Hill and Dame Gillian Weir DBE

INTRODUCTION

 Message from the Chairman of the Organ Society

Contact for further details

 Biographical details of the Organists

Location - click MultiMap to see where we are located.

PROGRAMMES

2007/2008 Season of Organ Concerts

2006/2007 Season of Organ Concerts

2005/2006 Season of Organ Concerts

2004/2005 Season of Organ Concerts

2003/2004 Season of Organ Concerts

2002/2003 Season of Organ Concerts

LINKS

Alton Organ Society

Cathedral Organists

Communigate - this is Hampshire (Alton Organ Society)

Chichester Cathedral

Dutch Organ Society

For future recitals Nationally, see www.organrecitals.com

Guildford Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral

North Hampshire Organ Association

Norwich Cathedral

Oundle International Summer School for Young Organists)

Royal College of Organists

Salisbury Cathedral

St Albans Cathedral

St John's College, Cambridge

St Lawrence Parish Church, ALTON, Hampshire

The Waverley Singers

Westminster Cathedral

Winchester Cathedral

World Organ Directory

THE ORGAN

History of the St Lawrence Parish Church Organ

 Details of the Specifications of the Organ

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Click on DANIEL MOULT  for his biography

  Back to top

Click on CLIVE DRISKILL-SMITH for his biography

Back to top

  Click on COLIN WALSH for his biography

Click on ELLI GLAROU for her biography

Back to top

Click on ROGER SAYER for his biography

Click on DAVID SANGER for his biography 

Back to top

Click on JAMES LANCELOT for his biography 

Back to top

Click on KATHERINE DIENES for her biography

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

 Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top

Last updated: 06 May, 2008 11:36:45

• STOP PRESS

• --------------------------------§

• The next and final concert in the 2007/2008 Season will be given by KATHERINE DIENES-WILLIAMS (Guildford Cathedral) (today) Tue 6 May 2008 starting at 8.00 pm.
• We should like to congratulate ROBERT SHARPE (Truro Cathedral) on his appointment as Organist and Master of the Choristers YORK MINSTER. Richard assumes his appointment in Sep 08 and plays here in Alton 10 Feb 09.
• Cyril Diplock has now completed 2008/2009 Programme of Organ Concerts and the details can be seen by clicking 2008/2009 Season of Organ Concerts. Full details of individual programmes and Recitalists' biographies will follow in due course. Apart from David Sanger, all the performers will be playing at Alton for the first time. 
• Our first Patron and good friend DAVID SANGER (INTERNATIONAL CONCERT ORGANIST) gave an outstanding and, described by some of the more cerebral, as academic performance before a 70 strong audience on Tue 11 March 2008. He started his programme by giving the first performance of "Celebration - Fanfare" composed for David's 60th birthday by 20 year old Jonathan Hope. Jonathan is a local resident, a pupil of David's and is a first year student at the Royal College of Music. How long before he visits Alton to give a concert in his own right as many of David Sanger's other protégés have in the past? David continued his recital with a wide variation of types of music two items of which were written by deeply religious but contrasting composers - Bach and Messiaen. David played 2 pieces by Vierne from his newly edited version of Vierne's complete works - a 4 year year project which culminated in publication last week. David's scheduled programme ended with a beautiful performance of Lindberg's Sonata. A true professional always plans ahead and sure enough, David gave an encore playing Buxtehude's Fuga in C major. David has been visiting Alton for 35 years and the Society is deeply indebted to this most loyal and professional of musicians.
•  
• Details of the 2007/2008 Season of Organ Concerts are now available.  Cyril Diplock (Founder of the Society) has, once again, organised an outstanding programme or concerts to be given by both distinguished international and national organists and those gifted musicians at the start of their musical career - Oundle Award Winners. 
• Admission - £8.00 at the door or £50 Season Membership.
• One of the aims of the Society is to feature once a year one of the gifted young organists who attend the Oundle for Organists, International Summer Schools. These remarkable youngsters are brilliant organists at the start of what usually promises to be a successful career. Tom Bell - who was the 2006 Award winner - performed brilliantly on Tue 27 Feb 07. It was evident to the audience that not only did Tom choose a varied programme but he delivered it magnificently. He is truly a highly gifted musician and a name to watch for the future. Elli Glarou (from Greece and currently studying for a PhD at Leeds University) gave a superb recital in Jan 08 with emphasis on Marcel Dupré - her PhD subject. 
•  
• Prices have remained the same as the 2006/2007 Season of £8.00 (no concessions) for each recital. You can take advantage of Season Membership at £50.00 will give you 8 Concerts for the price of 6 or £6.25 each Concert! Application forms for 2007/2008 Season Membership are available either in the church or you can email Tony Willman and a copy of the form can be sent to you. I should also like to draw to your attention an excellent Website that list Organ Concerts Nationwide - including the Alton Organ Society. Click on this for further details - www.organrecitals.com  

• The Parish Church of St Lawrence, ALTON, Organ Society (Founded 1967) organises each year a season of Organ Concerts performed by distinguished national and international Organists. Details of the Organists their respective programmes and biographies are displayed on this website - which is regularly updated to reflect changes. The concerts are performed at St Lawrence Parish Church, Church Street, ALTON, Hampshire, England GU34 2BW starting at 8.00 pm. Click here MultiMap for location Alton is just off the A31 between Farnham (Surrey) and Winchester (Hampshire) and there is ample parking space close to the Church. Alton railway station (about 15 minutes walk to the Church) is just over one hour's journey from Waterloo station, London. For access to a map of Alton, click on StreetMap or MultiMap, type in the postcode GU34 2BW and click on search.   For further details about the St Lawrence Parish Church Organ Society click contact  

• The Organ - click for the specification - a three manual 1866 Henry Speechly (restored 1966 & 1993) with 71 stops (57 speaking stops) - is one of the finest organs outside of Cathedral organs in the South of England. 

2008/2009 Season of Organ Concerts - Celebrating the 42nd Year  Back to top

2007/2008 Season Of Organ Concerts - Celebrating the 41st Year      Back to top

2006/2007 Season Of Organ Concerts - Celebrating the 40th Year      Back to top

2005/2006 Season Of Organ Concerts (Click name for respective programme)  Back to top

2004/2005 Season of Organ Concerts      Back to top

Back to top

Note 1 – this was the Alton Organ Society’s 300^th Concert.

2003/2004 Season of Organ Concerts

Back to top

2002/2003 Season of Organ Concerts

Back to top

History of the Organ Society by the Chairman, Mr. Peter Ashworth

Cyril Diplock, who was Organist at St Lawrence Parish Church, ALTON over 45 years established the Society soon after the organ was rebuilt in 1966. Cyril retired as organist in July 2006 but will continue to be closely associated with the Organ Society. The Society can boast that well over 320 organ concerts have been given on this fine instrument by recitalists of the highest international acclaim. It is reputed to be one of the longest running Organ Societies in existence.

Francis Jackson, who at the time was Organist of York Minster, gave the first concert in December 1966, has played since on a number of occasions including in 1996 the start of the 30th year of the Society. He performed again on the 9^th November 1999 and 7^th January 2003. The distinguished international concert organist and teacher David Sanger who lives in Cumbria has given an annual concert at St Lawrence for over 20 years and he returns on the 11th March 2008. He most kindly agreed in 2000 to be the first Patron of the Society.

I wish you a warm welcome to St Lawrence Parish Church Organ Society and to the forthcoming 2007/2008 Season of Organ Concerts. Please peruse the Website to discover the detailed programmes and pocket biographies of the Organists.

Back to top

9 October 2007 – DANIEL MOULT (Concert Organist, London)

Back to top

6  November 2007 –  CLIVE DRISKILL-SMITH (Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford)

Back to top

4 December 2007 - COLIN WALSH (Lincoln Cathedral) 

Back to top

15 January 2008 - ELLI GLAROU (Award Winner, Oundle for Organists, Summer Schools 2006) 

Back to top

12 February 2008 - ROGER SAYER (Rochester Cathedral)

Back to top

11 March 2008  – DAVID SANGER - International Concert Organist 

Back to top

8 April 2008 - JAMES LANCELOT (Durham Cathedral)

Back to top

6 May 2008 - KATHERINE DIENES-WILLIAMS (Guildford Cathedral)

Back to top

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF THE ORGANISTS

Back to top

9th October 2007 – DANIEL MOULT (CONCERT ORGANIST (LONDON)

Click PROGRAMME to return to Daniel's programme 

Daniel Moult has an active career as a concert organist and organ tutor. He performs throughout the U.K. in many major concert series, venues and festivals, with an eclectic repertoire stretching from the fourteenth century to the present day. He records frequently for BBC Radio and TV, has recorded for Radio Netherlands and has performed on various commercial and private recordings. A sought-after organ tutor, he teaches at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, Birmingham Conservatoire and St Giles' International Organ School, London. He is in frequent demand for Masterclasses and workshops, including regular visits to courses in Oundle, Salisbury (RSCM) and elsewhere. Passionate about promoting the organ to a wider audience, Daniel has been involved recently in various outreach projects. These have included working for the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester as organ animateur (where thousands of children have heard the organ in popular concerts), projects at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and events for the RCO and I.E.. In addition to examining for the ABRSM and the RCO, his articles on performance practice and performance-related topics have appeared in various organ journals. Daniel was educated at the Manchester Grammar School and Oxford (where he won three prizes at FRCO and was jointly awarded the University of Oxford John Betts Organ Scholarship). Organ teachers have included Gordon Stewart and Nicolas Kynaston and he was a postgraduate at the Amsterdam Conservatorium under Jacques van Oortmerssen. After seven years as Organist and Assistant Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral, Daniel moved to London in 2003 to focus solely on his freelance career. His 2006/7 itinerary includes concerts for the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the I.A.O Germany Congress, and recordings for BBC Radio 4 and 3 (accompanying the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir) and BBC TV. A solo recording of organ music based on the 'B.A.C.H' motif is also planned.

Back to top

6th November 2007 – CLIVE DRISKILL-SMITH (Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford)

Click PROGRAMME to return to Clive's programme

Clive Driskill-Smith is one of the leading organists of his generation. Hailed as a "star of a new generation" (Evening Standard), critics have praised his "blazing technique" and "unbelievable virtuosity" (American Guild of Organists) and described his performances as "intensely moving" and "truly breathtaking" (Organo Pleno Melbourne).

Born in 1978, Clive was awarded the Sheila Mossman Memorial Prize by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music before winning a Music Scholarship to Eton College in 1990. From 1992 to 1994, he played the bassoon in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and in the National Youth Chamber Orchestra. After a year as Organ Scholar at Winchester Cathedral and Assistant Organist at Winchester College, he went up to Christ Church, Oxford University, as the Christopher Tatton Organ Scholar. While at Christ Church, he was awarded the ARCM (Associate of the Royal College of Music) diploma in Piano Performance and the FRCO (Fellow of the Royal College of Organists) diploma with the Limpus, Shinn and Durrant Prizes and the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Silver Medal. He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Music in 1999 and with the MPhil in 2001.

A pupil of David Sanger and Hans Fagius, Clive was awarded a Travelling Scholarship by the Royal College of Organists in 1999 and the W. T. Best Scholarship by the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 2002. Both of these have funded further study on the Continent with Marie-Claire Alain, Guy Bovet, Andrea Marcon, Luigi Tagliavini and Dr Harald Vogel.

Winner of the Royal College of Organists' Performer of the Year Competition in 2000 and the Calgary International Organ Competition in 2002, Clive has performed in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, South Africa, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Canada, the USA, South America, Australia and New Zealand. In North America, he is represented by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists.

Clive's repertoire spans six centuries and includes the complete works of Maurice Duruflé and Olivier Messiaen. His performances have been broadcast in Australia, Finland, Japan, Sweden, the UK and the USA. He has recorded two solo CDs: The Organs of Eton College, released on the Priory label in 2004 ("a master performer in a range of musical styles ... his playing is immaculate" Organists' Review), and Fiat Lux, released on the Herald label in 2006 ("the technique is brilliant, the interpretation faultless ... a first class recording" The Organ).

Clive is a member of the American Guild of Organists, a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He is currently Sub-Organist at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, where he accompanies the choir under the direction of Stephen Darlington. He plays for the daily services as well as the choir's many recordings, broadcasts and tours.

During the last two years, Clive has performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the American Guild of Organists' regional convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Scotch College in Melbourne, where he gave the inaugural recital on the new organ. For information on future concerts, please visit his website at www.organist.org.uk

Back to top

4th December 2007 – COLIN WALSH (Lincoln Cathedral)

Click PROGRAMME to return to Colin's programme

Colin Walsh is at the front of his generation of organists in England. He has played many recitals in this country in cathedrals, abbeys, college chapels and two at the Royal Festival Hall.

Further afield, he has played in France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA. During the summer of 2005 he was involved in the third performance of John Tavener's 'The veil of the Temple' as part of the Holland Festival in the Oude Kirk, Amsterdam and plays the organ for the Universal Label on a CD entitled 'The Choirboys'. In 2006 he toured New Zealand as European artist of the Organists' Congress and, in the same year, he gave a recital on the famous Cavaillé-coll organ of St. Ouen in Rouen. Appearances during 2007 will include the City of London Festival, the Southern Cathedrals' Festival, the Lahti Organ Festival, Finland and recitals in Cologne Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris and the Svetlan