Home of
the Somerset Organists' and Choirmasters' Association: www.somersetoca.org.uk
Thank you for visiting our website
We are a group of
organists, choir leaders and others interested in church music
and organs, who meet about eight times a year.
Our aims are:
to educate
to entertain
to encourage
each other
We are delighted that
you have dropped by to our home on the web, and hope that you
will enjoy your visit. Please take some time to look
around the site, feel free to get in touch, and if you would
like to join the association, you would be most welcome. We
would be most grateful if you could take a moment to
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SPECIAL FORTHCOMING EVENT
Concert in aid of Stogumber Church
Friday 29 August 7.30pm
William Whitehead, BA, MMus, FRCO, ARAM
William gave his Royal Albert Hall début playing
the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with the New
Queens Hall Orchestra under Ivor Setterfield.
2007 saw him playing in Pretoria, Vienna,
Toulouse, Berlin and Denmark. This Summer,
William is playing at Odense Cathedral, Denmark;
Bragernes Church, Drammen, Norway; Youngstown,
Ohio; and St Ann's Catholic Church, Washington
DC. William’s parents live in West Somerset, and
we are most fortunate that he has offered to
play for us (without a fee) in aid of St Mary’s
Church, Stogumber.
William's solo organ-playing career took off
when he won First Prize at the Odense
International Organ Competition in Denmark,
2004. Trained at Oxford University and the Royal
Academy of Music, London, and he has been taught
by Dame Gillian Weir. Valuable inspiration was
gained in his year as Organ Scholar of
Westminster Abbey, where he played for services
and occasionally conducted the choir. This led
to the post of Assistant Organist at Rochester
Cathedral, where he helped to found the new
Girls' Choir. After four years, he moved on to
become a Lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music,
and became Director of Music at St Mary’s Bourne
Street, London. He also teaches the organ at
Trinity College of Music, and co-runs the London
Organ Forum.
The concert in Stogumber will include Toccata &
Fugue in D minor by Bach, and Toccata by Dubois,
amongst other pieces to be confirmed.
Press notices for his CD ‘Dances of Life and
Death’, Chandos CHAN 10315
‘…Whitehead’s more spacious approach reveals
greater clarity. His sense of rhythmic bounce,
coupled with a fastidious choice of colour,
creates a strongly atmospheric performance. The
recording, too, is outstanding…A winning disc.’
Gramophone Magazine, Jan 2006
‘…Whitehead’s compelling playing represents
advocacy of a high order.’
BBC Music magazine, June 2005
Tickets £7 (to include light refreshments and
non-alcoholic drink) available from Central
Stores in Stogumber or
Page
updated
27/07/2008
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