On Friday 22nd November, which is the day on which we celebrate all things musical in honour of Saint Cecilia, Patron Saint of Music, Professor Baker from the Halifax Organ Academy presented a series of hands-on organ workshops in the Chapel.
From this……….. ……….to this in under 20 minutes
From Year 3 to Year 11, the children were inducted into the craft of organ building, discovering how the different types of organ pipes produce their individual sounds and how the mechanism of the blower is operated to produce enough air for the pipes to speak as the keys are depressed to let air into each linked pipe.
After careful instruction, each of four groups brought their completed components to the organ frame and fixed them into place. Year 5, working with the four members of the Year 11 GCSE Music class, met the Great Organ Building Challenge with aplomb, completing their task just inside the allotted time. The Year 10 GCSE Music class completed the Challenge in record time and were able to benefit from a short master class on playing the organ, sitting at the console of the Chapel’s huge three-manual instrument.
Perhaps we may find amongst them a future Saint Felix Organ Scholar.
Year 10 use teamwork to meet the challenge…so that individuals can enjoy a master class