Gloucestershire Organists’ Association
Chairman’s report to the AGM, Saturday 22nd February 2025
Simon Gibson – Chairman
Welcome to St. Matthew’s and our annual general meeting.
I’d like to start by thanking Michael for entertaining us with his recital on this lovely old
instrument. No doubt it isn’t the easiest organ to master, but Michael obviously knows his
way around it and showed us the full range of its very musical character. Thank you.
Our thanks also to St. Matthew’s for hosting us today, the first time I believe we have used
the church for our AGM.
So, here is a brief resumé of the Association’s activities during the last year, most of which
you will know already, either from attending the events, or reading about them in our
Newsletters, but I think it’s important to give this overview for the record.
Last March, a hardy group made the very wet trip to Hereford Cathedral to hear Evensong
sung superbly by the choir under Geraint Bowen, with the organ played by the Assistant
Organist Peter Dyke. We then had the chance to play the magnificent Willis organ. Geraint
and Peter, along with their organ scholar, were very generous with their time. The only
downside was the gymnastics required to enter and leave the organ loft!
In April, we hosted a joint GOA and RCO event in St. Andrew’s URC, Cheltenham, designed
to attract people who were new to the organ. This ‘Come and Play the Organ’ event was
held on International Organ Day and attracted five children and some adults. The RCO
regional director, Simon Williams, led the afternoon session, playing and talking about how
the organ works, before inviting the children to come and have a go. It was heartening to
see their enthusiasm and, although perhaps we would have loved to see more people
there, it was a good event all round. At least one of the children has subsequently started
learning the organ.
May saw another joint GOA and RCO event, this time held in St. Gregory’s Catholic church
and featuring talks by David Ponsford and David McConkey on French Baroque Organ Music
and Chant, using the Blank organ and a small group of singers, who led the music in a
service of Choral Vespers at the end of the day. June took us to Oxford again and another
two College chapel organs. This time, we enjoyed playing the Dobson organ in Merton
College and then the Cavaillé-Coll inspired J W Walker organ in Exeter College.
The annual students’ recital was held in Tewkesbury Abbey again in July and featured three
young organ students, Isaac, John and Theo, who enjoyed the opportunity to perform to
an enthusiastic audience consisting of family, GOA members and visitors to the Abbey. The
committee believes this is an important event in our calendar and hopes to repeat it every
year. Do come and support it if you can.
In September, we headed to St. Martin’s in Worcester in the morning, where the original
Nicholson organ was enlarged by Trevor Tipple during his time as organist there. Now a
powerful instrument which fills the large parish church, we were hosted by the current
organist, John Swindells. After a drive to the north of Worcester, we arrived at Great Witley,
one of the country’s finest baroque churches, which houses an old organ containing some
pipes from Canon’s Park in London, the home of the Duke of Chandos. A really musical
instrument in good condition and a joy to play. The church volunteers welcome visiting
organists, so do take some music with you if you are visiting.
Our annual lunch in October was held at the Rising Sun Hotel on Cleeve Hill and was
enjoyed by all. Thanks again to Mike Eddy for the planning and execution.
At the start of November, members joined forces with those from the Worcestershire
association in Tewkesbury Abbey to hear Carleton Etherington speak about and play music
by Sir Edward Bairstow, whose birth we were remembering 150 years on. A superb talk
and recital was enjoyed by everyone there, including some members of the Abbey
congregation.
Last month, we paid a brief visit to play the recently installed Willis organ in St. Gregory’s
church, Cheltenham. Placed on the west gallery underneath the bell tower, the organ
speaks well into the church and members enjoyed playing it. The following Saturday,
almost thirty of us arrived early at Nicholson’s organ works outside Malvern for a guided
tour given by their Managing Director, Andrew Caskie. It proved to be a fascinating morning
of discovery for us all – hearing about the large restoration project at Manchester Town
Hall, the rebuild of the organ in Leeds Town Hall, and the progress they have made in
building the new organ for Gloucester Cathedral. We are hoping to make a return visit in
November to see and hear the Gloucester organ before it is delivered to the Cathedral in
early 2026. A superb lunch at the Nag’s Head in Malvern was enjoyed by a good number
of us after the visit.
As I step down as Chairman, I think we can say that the GOA is in good health, and we have
some exciting events to look forward to in the near future. As I mentioned, the new
Cathedral organ will be installed during early 2026, ahead of that summer’s Three Choirs
Festival. Then, in 2027, the Association will be 80 years old, something that the committee
is hoping to celebrate in style. If you have any suggestions for ways that we could mark the
occasion, please do let us know.
I would also like to mention National Play the Organ Year 2025. This is a year long campaign
to highlight the pipe organ in all its wonderful variety and it needs YOU, fellow organists,
to shout about our enthusiasm for the King of Instruments! How do we communicate that
enthusiasm to people who don’t always come to church? It is surely part of our mission in
the GOA to reach out whenever we have the opportunity and tell people all about the
organ. That can be by showing a curious member of the congregation how the instrument
is played, or it could be by putÝng on a small concert yourself, or with others? There is
another event in April this year where we hope to attract more newcomers to Come and
Play the Organ. If you want to try and arrange your own event, please look at the resources
on the RCO’s website or ask a member of the committee for advice. But please do consider
making your own contribution to the campaign. If we don’t shout about the organ, who
will?
And so, to some thankyous. I would like to thank all my committee colleagues who have
helped me as Chairman in the past two years. Thanks to James for his wise council, and to
Mike, our Treasurer, who is the fount of wisdom on all things GOA. Particular thanks are
due to Andrea, our outgoing Secretary, who has done a fabulous job of herding the cats of
the committee over the last few years! Not least, thanks Andrea for hosting so many
meetings at your house. I hope I can keep the show on the road, as I take over your role.
Finally, good luck to Michael, who will take over as Chairman today.
It has been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be Chairman for the past two years and
I have enjoyed it immensely. Thank you!
