Never work with animals or children, they say! Add to that photocopiers and OHP’s!
As a keen group of youngsters assembled for this years YPGO, Mick Perrier could be seen trying to beat an OHP into submission (before discovering that both bulbs had blown) and then attempting to rush out printed copies of the slides (before discovering that the photocopier was out of toner). C’est la vie.
Despite this the enthusiasm of the youngsters remained undaunted as they learned about organ history, mechanisms, stop names and the sounds they indicate.
The Henry Jones organ at St. Mary’s Moseley provided the demonstration guinea pig for this afternoon of exploration as the participants gathered round the console for a whistle-stop tour of all things organistic. Great, Swell, Choir, manuals, pedals, consoles, soundboards and sliders were all explained and amply demonstrated through music of Bach, Charpentier, Widor, and others.
Following demonstration and explanations came the time for the participants themselves to have a go at coaxing squeaks, buzzes, growls and trumpeting from the instrument. While some explored things at the console under the watchful eye of Juanita Watson (Organist & Choirleader, St. Mary’s Hobs Moat), Mick Perrier guided others through the internal workings of the instrument, exploring the pipework, bellows and multifarious mechanisms. There were genuine gasps of amazement from several of the youngsters as they realised how complex a piece of machinery the organ really is!
After exploring things at St. Mary’s, several participants departed for St. Martin’s in the Bull Ring where they had free rein on the 4 manual Compton / Nicholson instrument. The organ chamber of this instrument resembles the engine room of the Titanic in size and again was cause for great amazement from those present, youngsters and parents included!
Two members of last year’s event have since embarked upon organ lessons and two of this year’s team seem destined to go the same way. It is good to see the genuine interest in the instrument engendered by these annual excursions. Will we see you on “Palm Saturday” 2007? Note it in your diary!
“I wish I was going back to school on Monday” What? That wasn’t the sort of comment 13 year old Matthew would be likely to make on the first Saturday of the Easter holidays. Seeing my rather startled expression, he explained, “That would have been a great end to the holidays. It was such a good afternoon … and I want to show off. I’ve played the organ at St Martin’s in the Bull Ring!”
So what on earth was going on? Well, Matt had just spent the afternoon at the Young Person’s Guide to the Organ session led by Mick Perrier and the Royal College of Organists. He and half a dozen other youngsters had met at St. Mary’s Moseley. There they’d climbed inside the organ, working out what the “venetian blinds” did to the sound, gasped at the ease with which the soft pipe metal could be crushed, pulled out all the stops (literally) and, if they wanted to, had the chance to try out the magnificent organ at St Martin’s. Gadgets and powerful music: Matthew was in his element.
And the afternoon had an interesting result — not only is he now taking up organ lessons, but the whole field of organ building and repair has opened up as an interest. Through Mick’s contacts, we’re well on the way to setting up some work experience for him. Who knows — a career as an organ repairer may beckon.
If you have a youngster in your church who is musical, we’d recommend this session to them.