A warm welcome to our Association

Whether you love listening to this fabulous instrument or enjoy playing it, we welcome you to join us, the Suffolk Organists' Association. Each year we publish a Journal. We offer opportunities to visit churches throughout the county and further afield, recitals and lectures.

We offer bursaries and advice to those of any age who would like to advance their abilities with the instrument. Please note that the deadline has been extended for this year from 30 April so we will welcome applications from you for funds that would aid you in advancing your expertise.

Our Association reached its 90th Anniversary on 10 February 2025 this year.

This is a milestone of which all members past and present can be most proud.

Saturday 17 May 2025

The AGM was held at Unitarian Meeting House Ipswich at 2.30pm and we were welcomed by the outgoing President, Robert Waller with the Hon. Secretary, Stephen Hogger, the Hon. Treasurer Roger Pulham and the Assistant Secretary, Alan Loader who took the Minutes. The current Officers were re-elected and we were very pleased that William Glasse has agreed to join the Council. Robert gave a synopsis of the many events he had organised during his presidential year which will soon be published in the annual SOA Journal.
Robert thanked the many people who had contributed to the success of his year: those who had helped with the organisation of events; the generous provision of hospitality for Council Meetings by Miriam Ellis (with much cake!); the meticulous work of the Treasurer, Roger Pulham, in keeping out finances in good order; the production of the Newsletter by Stephen Hogger; the good work of Paul Austen in keeping the membership records shipshape and the maintenance of the website by the Webmaster, Andrew Garfath-Cox. Paul Austen now living in the Lake District has resigned from his post and Robert thanked him in absentia for his careful management of our membership lists.
At this point in the meeting Robert laid done the baton and received a cheque from the Association in appreciation of the work he has done this past year. Stephen Hogger is our new President for 2025-2026 and Hugh Singleton is President Elect. Stephen outlined his programme for the year and a brochure was handed out itemising these events. You can read it here.

We then adjourned to the Meeting House after convivial chatter and refreshment to listen to a short recital by our outgoing President Robert Waller.

Here is his programme

Trumpet Voluntary John Stanley (1712 -1768)

Sanctify us by Thy Goodness Cantata 22 J S Bach (1685-1750)

Melody Alfred Hollins (1865-1943)

'Jupiter' Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Postlude in D C Armstrong-Gibbs

Lost Chord Arthur Sullivan arr. Noel Rawsthorne
Reflection Daniel Bishop (1981-)

Cantabile No.2 Enrico Pasini (1935-)

Postlude Théodore Dubois (1837-1924)

The Scott Brothers at Woodbridge St. Mary's Sunday 11 May 2025.

A fabulous afternoon of outstanding playing by Jonathan on the 2 manual organ making it sound like a complete orchestra and with a virtuostic performance on the Blüthner grand piano by his brother Tom, drew in a large audience. It was a thrilling occasion by these two Manchester masters of the keyboard. Your webmaster was accompanied by our new young 17 year old member, Freddie Richer, organist at Old Martlesham Church. He was enraptured by the amazing playing and this will be an inspiration to him on his journey to emulate such heights.

These two brothers are completely exceptional musicians and the splendid programme consisted of arrangements of well known music made by Jonathan. Each of them introduced different pieces with interesting and informative background with warmth and good humour. In honour of Victory in Europe 80 one of the pieces they chose was Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 with its rousing melody of 'Land of Hope and Glory'. At the conclusion, all of the audience responded exultantly and gave a standing ovation. The two brothers then added two encore pieces to their already their marvellous programme: a fast piece from Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals and then a deeply emotional slow piece 'Intermezzo' by Pietro Mascagni from Cavalleria Rusticana.

This was probably one of the best concerts and most brilliant that I have ever attended. Two musicians completely in sychronicity with one another. THE GOOD NEWS is that you have not missed out on seeing them perform because on Saturday 20 September 2025, our new President Elect, Stephen Hogger has invited the Scott Brothers to Christchurch Tacket Street to give a Celebrity Recital. This must be a date in your diary!

Ipswich Minster Organ recitals Summer Series 2025

The Minster has a full programme of events during this summer but here are the organ recitals. The SOA is sponsoring Nicholas Freestone's programme. All recitals are held on a Tuesday lunchtime at 1.10pm and end before 2pm with a retiring collection.

27 May 2025 Joshua Simões
3 June 2025 James Davy
29 July 2025 Mark Blatchly
5 August 2025 Brass Quintet and William Baldry
12 August 2025 Nicholas Freestone
16 September 2025 Claudia Grinnell
30 September Colin Walsh

Roger Pulham, our Treasurer, has recently learned of the death of John Norman, a frequent contributor to Organists' Review.

He writes: "I have just been informed of the death of John Norman aged 93. He was the organ specialist who had written many articles for various journals and magazines and whose family was the Norman of Norman & Beard the well-known organ builders of Norwich one of whose organs is in St. Bartholomew’s Church Ipswich. He gave several talks to the SOA on organ matters and was involved with the restoration of the Norman & Beard organ in Colchester Town hall. We heard him speak at the Royal Hospital School Holbrook and more recently at Christchurch Ipswich."

A travelogue of a trip to the USA by our member Barry Palmer Easter 2024.

At the SOA Annual lunch at The Fox in Newbourne, I sat next to Barry Palmer and he had told me about an amazing trip that he had taken with his wife to America. I was fascinated by the extent of his travels and his experiences whilst he was there. I asked him if he would be willing to share it with other members of the Association and the result was that he sent me this email and I hope you will enjoy learning about his excursion to the USA as much as I did. Read about it in News of Members

Andrew Garfath-Cox Hon. Web Administrator and a Past President

NEWS..news...

MASTERCLASS... MASTERCLASS...

Coming up on the 19th October 2024 will be another Masterclass given by Peter Crompton on the Grand Organ of Royal Hospital School. This follows on in the tradition of the last two years, the first at St. Mary the Elms with Colin Walsh, Organist Emeritus of Lincoln Cathedral, and last year at St. Matthew's Church, Ipswich with Daniel Moult. All of these well renowned organists have a passion for inspiring future generations of players with their tremendous enthusiasm for and talented performance on the instrument. This is a marvellous opportunity to learn more whether you have come to the earlier masterclasses or would like to join in for your first time. Please click target="_blank" >MASTERCLASS for further details.

Journal 122 published

We are most grateful to James Crowe for his production of this Journal which should now be in your hands. It records the life of the Association in the year 2016 when Andrew Garfath-Cox handed the baton on to Ann Little on 21 May 2016. You will enjoy reading this most comprehensive and well researched volume!

Journal 126 published

We are most grateful to Nicholas Jardine, President of SOA for producing this Journal which records this rather problematic period where all the events of 2020/2021 in his year of office had to be cancelled but fortunately Nicholas revived many of his planned activities and organised still more in his second year of tenure. We are most grateful to him for this valuable record.

Journal 127 published

Another excellent resumé of the last year's events has been prepared by immediate Past-President William Baldry. We thank him and his contributors for news of the vibrant life of the Association.

Journal 128 published

Immediate Past President Alan Loader has created a most interesting and informative summary of the many excellent events he organised during last year's events. We thank him and his contributors very much for these valuable insights into the activities of our Association.