October is the last opportunity to hear the wonderful organ of St Swithun’s Church in Retford this year. Attendances each month since April have been fantastic. All of the organists, who are world-class professionals, have given superb recitals and expressed great pleasure at playing the St Swithun’s organ, with an offer to return next year.
The final recital this year is on Thursday 15th October at 1.00pm and is being given by Thomas Keogh from Leicester. It is particularly joyful to welcome Tom, because he was born locally and was trained as an organist in Worksop where he received organ tuition from Michael Overbury, and then proceeded to study the organ at Birmingham Conservatoire with James Parsons and Marcus Huxley. He is in demand as an accompanist and soloist, with performances given in numerous venues around the country. In 2015, he left his post as Director of Music at St Augustine’s Church, Edgbaston, in order to take up a similar post at Holy Cross Priory, Leicester – a large Roman Catholic Church served by the Dominican Order.
The church opens at 12.15pm with light refreshments being served. The recital and the food are free of charge, but organisers ask for a donation, which goes into the organ fund for the maintenance of this historic organ which was originally installed by J W Walker in 1841.