Starting at 10.00am at St. Matthews Church, Kingsley Road, Northampton NN1 4RY
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TO NDOA, 18 JUNE 2020
Dear OA members,
During the continuing restrictions on musical activity, NDOA members have been receiving much helpful information via Newsletter Extra and our secretary Helen about ‘virtual’ musical activities. There have been opportunities for ‘layered’ choral singing, events organised by Making Music and the RSCM and ‘live’ recitals from Wigmore Hall on Radio 3. But there don’t seem to have been any ‘live’ organ recitals in this country, and members might be feeling withdrawal symptoms.
I would like to be able to lighten the gloom by writing a regular humorous piece for the Newsletter, along the lines of those contributed to the Organists’ Review for many years by ‘Corno Dolce’ (an amateur lady organist, we understood.) As it is, I can at least gladden the hearts of members by saying that the outing to Thorpe Underwood House, near Harrington, will go ahead on Saturday 18th July if the government and Church of England rules then in force permit it. Benedict and Katherine Cadbury hope to welcome us to their home from 2pm to 5pm, including a play on the Walker organ, a visit to the church, and tea. As numbers are limited, pre-booking is essential, and places will be on a first-come first-served basis, so do let Helen or me know if you wish to come. If the event has to be cancelled, there will be a ‘virtual’ event of some kind so do reserve that afternoon in your diaries.
The news about the Midlands Organ Day is less heartening, as it is being deferred, as already announced - but we are aiming to hold it on Saturday 25th September 2021, when it will be a highlight of the NDOA centenary year. Again, do keep the 26th September this year in your diaries as there will be an OA event of some kind.
The Garden Party at my house planned for Monday 31st August might be able to go ahead, assuming the rules then allow, so please keep that date in your diaries also. If we do gather, we will have a talk by Don Kennedy about his career with EMI, a booksale and a tea. Again, a virtual event is being planned if the live event can’t happen.
We hope that the October and November events will be able to continue as planned, and confirmation and details will be on the website and on Facebook nearer the time. Members can be sure that in any live event this year the health rules will be observed and the preferences of members will be taken account of. Meanwhile, keep Zooming (in spirit if not in cyberspace).
John Wilson
President NDOA 2019/20
These events are subject to alteration.
Dates, times and venues will be confirmed in the 2019 Newsletters and on this page.
Due to Covid-19 Restrictions the proposed visit to Thorpe Underwood (house organ) and Harrington Church will not proceed. Instead there will be an illustrated tour of organs on 6 continents in the company of our President, John Wilson, who has seen them all and played many of them. It will be a 'virtual' event and Zoom ID details will be published nearer the time.
84 Headlands, Kettering, NN15 6DQ. Garden Party 2pm; Tea from 4pm. This will take place unless the rules change; but keep the date.
Hardwick Parish Church, hosted by Tony Edwards.
at St Mary Magdalene, Castle Ashby, followed by Evensong at 4pm with the Benefice Choir.
For all events, please contact the Secretary for further details.
Health requirements in force will be observed, as will any special preferences of members.
Dear Association Members and Friends,
The Midlands Organ Day Sub-committee of the Association met by Zoom on 1st June and reluctantly decided to postpone the Midlands Organ Day 2020 in view of the restrictions placed upon us all by Covid-19.
However before publicising that postponement we have endeavoured to identify a suitable date in 2021, and indeed we are nearly there.
Subject of course, to Covid-19 restrictions allowing, the event will now take place on Saturday 25th September 2021, at St. Matthews Church, Northampton as previously arranged.
Please put that date in your advance planner for 2021. Hopefully by then this pandemic will be a distant memory.
Fortuitously a 2021 Midlands Organ Day event will also coincide with the 100th Anniversary of our remarkable Association, and add to what I am sure will be a very exciting celebratory year of events under the Presidency of Mr. Richard Tapp.
We are hopeful that the Event can be presented as before by Richard Pinnel, Simon Johnson, Andrew Reid and Callum Alger with Church Organ World and Harrisons & Harrison sponsoring the event, which we expect will be substantially similar to what was previously planned for this September.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the MOD Sub-committee for all their hard work to get us to this point, which I am confident will result in an outstanding event in 2021.
Further information will be circulated and published in the Newsletter and on the Association's website http://northamptonorganists.org.uk/
Best wishes and Stay safe
Alan
Alan Cufaude
Chair, Midlands Organ Day Sub-committee
St. Matthew’s Church, Northampton. IAO Regional Organ Day focusing on liturgical playing, including a short recital by Callum Alger (Westminster Cathedral) and masterclasses hosted by Richard Pinel (Jesus College, Cambridge), with Andrew Reid (Harrison & Harrison) and Callum Alger (Westminster Cathedral). Open consoles will be available at St Matthew’s, All Saints' and other local churches.
The following 2020 Event poster gives you some idea of what to expect in the 2021 MOD Event:
St. Matthew’s Church, Northampton, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the J.W. Walker organ - ‘the finest parish church organ in England.’