Musicians from Manchester's top musical institutions have joined the campaign to save the organ at St Bartholomew's Church and will be performing at their Summer Serenades.
The line-up of performances includes many familiar names - renowned concert pianist and Senior Tutor at the RNCM, Murray McLachlan; Manchester Grammar School's Head of Academic Music and harpsichordist, David Francis; cellist, conductor and Director of Music at Chetham's School of Music, Stephen Threlfall and violinist and Course Director of Chamber Music at Manchester University, Louise Latham. All of whom enjoy busy recording, broadcasting and performing careers alongside their work in music education.
Director of Music Philip Underwood has established St Bart's as a vibrant and active centre for music in Wilmslow, with two church choirs, organ and choral scholarships for young musicians, regular concerts and now an ambitious fund-raising project to restore the church's historic organ.
He said "The organ is at the very heart - the essential musical heartbeat - of any church and its community. Ours has worked hard for the last 150 years but is now in urgent need of restoration so that it will continue to serve the church and its community for the next few hundred years."
The Summer Serenades will be held every Sunday from 7th June through to 26th July, starting at 3pm. Recitals will be 45 to 60 minutes long and will be followed by afternoon tea. All proceeds will go to the 'Oscar the Organ' Appeal. Full details of the programme each week are available here.
