Summer Organ Recitals at Hereford Cathedral
The summer lunchtime organ recital series will return to Hereford Cathedral this May.
The series of free Tuesday lunchtime concerts will open with this year’s cathedral organ scholar Evie Perfect performing a programme which includes music by Bach, Franck, Dan Locklair and Naji Hakim on Tuesday 2 May. This year’s programme is a real celebration of the organ scholarship programme at Hereford Cathedral with no fewer than six former organ scholars returning to perform.
Laurence John from St Davids Cathedral (20 June), Henry Metcalfe (27 June) and Douglas Tang (8 August) from London, Jonathan Allsopp from Southwell Minster (15 August), Timothy Parsons (22 August) from St Edmundsbury Cathedral and William Fox from St Paul’s Cathedral (12 September) will all return to play the Father Willis organ this summer. They will also be joined by John Challenger (18 July) from Salisbury Cathedral who is a former Hereford Cathedral chorister.
Peter Dyke will also be performing three of the lunchtime recitals, two of which will have a special twist involving the audience. On Tuesday 9 May, he will be hosting a fun and interactive concert to mark Europe Day and on Tuesday 26 September, Peter’s programme will consist entirely of favourite pieces of music submitted by members of the audience before the performance.
Alongside the Tuesday lunchtime recital programme, the cathedral will host two gala evening concerts during the summer. Peter Dyke’s programme on Tuesday 6 June will include his own transcription of Elgar’s Enigma Variations and on Tuesday 19 September James Lancelot, former organist of Durham Cathedral, will perform a selection of music including Bach, Duruflé and Reger. Tickets for these evening concerts are £12 and available to purchase from the cathedral shop and website.
Peter Dyke, Assistant Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral, said: ‘It’s always a huge pleasure to welcome back to Hereford former organ scholars. Our audience and congregation love to see and hear players they got to know in the past, and see how their careers have blossomed since their year here. But we have several other splendid organists visiting this year, representing a range of ages and experience, all of whom somehow manage to find music and combinations of sounds that sound new and refreshing, reminding us just what a fabulous and unique instrument Hereford’s Father Willis organ is. We look forward to seeing you!’
To view the full programme of organ recitals and concerts please visit Hereford Cathedral's website.
Image credit: Peter Dyke
