“There is no finer thing a cathedral musician can do than to introduce people, of all ages, to the organ.”
Sir Andrew Parmley, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Organists.
The King of Instruments Celebrated in New Organ Festival at Sheffield Cathedral
Sheffield Cathedral has announced the launch of the first South Yorkshire Organ Festival which opens at the end of May.
This new four-day festival is the brainchild of James Mitchell, Sheffield Cathedral’s new Organist and Head of Keyboard Studies (pictured). He said
“I’m very excited to launch the first South Yorkshire Organ Festival. There are so many excellent organs across the region, yet too often it can be difficult to discover or learn about these instruments.
“Through this festival, we hope to promote the region’s amazing heritage with a wide range of events meaning there’s something for everyone.”
Over the four day festival, there will be workshops, masterclasses, the chance to play both a cathedral organ and one of the largest Compton cinema organs in the UK
James said:
“I want to shine a light on these incredible instruments which are rarely given the spotlight they deserve and inspire the next generation of organists and organ enthusiasts.”
The festival will end with a performance of music from the film Interstellar by organist Roger Sayer.
Roger collaborated with two-time Oscar winner and four-time Grammy award winner Hans Zimmer on the Academy-nominated film score and, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the film’s release, he is coming to Sheffield Cathedral to perform Zimmer’s iconic music from the film alongside other space-related music.
The festival has received the backing of Sir Andrew Parmley, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Organists.
Sir Andrew said:
“There is no finer thing a cathedral musician can do than to introduce people, of all ages, to the organ.”
“The South Yorkshire Organ Festival marks a new chapter in the musical life of Sheffield Cathedral and the City. We at the Royal College of Organists are proud to be associated with Sheffield and the new Festival.”
The inaugural South Yorkshire Organ Festival takes place at venues across Sheffield and Barnsley and runs from May 30 to June 2. Many of the events are aimed at families and are free to attend. To download your guide to the festival and to find out how to register for workshops and masterclasses, visit the Sheffield Cathedral website here.
