Music at GMC

David Briggs is an internationally renowned organist who has built a worldwide reputation as an innovative musician and dazzling performer. Increasingly sought after for his orchestral transcriptions and improvisation, his performances are applauded for their musicality, virtuosity and ability to excite and engage audiences of all ages.
He studied organ with Jean Langlais in Paris. The first British winner of the Tournemire Prize at the St Albans International Improvisation Competition, he also won the first prize in the International Improvisation Competition at Paisley. At the age of 17 he obtained his FRCO diploma, winning the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
David is also Organist Emeritus of Gloucester Cathedral and is increasingly in demand as a composer.
With an extensive repertoire spanning five centuries, David is also frequently asked to perform improvisation to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Nosferatu, Jeanne d’Arc and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. His annual silent film performance in Nurnberg’s Sebaldplatz has become a highlight of International Organ Week.

Vocal Works Gospel Choir's repertoire is mix of both traditional and contemporary gospel music along with many other genres of soulful, uplifting, funky and popular music. Their regular performances include concerts, weddings, festivals and corporate events - where the choir inspire their audiences with their energy, presentation and soulful voices. VWGC are based in Bath, but have performed throughout the country and abroad. Recent performances included live session work broadcast on BBC1, ITV, BBC3, and BBC Radio, Womad with the Blind Boys of Alabama, support act for Courtney Pine and Jamie Cullum, and pre-match entertainment for Bath Rugby. They have also performed with artists such as Matt Stevens (England Rugby), Adam Hepkin (West End Performer), recorded a soundtrack for Bath Rugby TV and released two recordings - ‘Live at Invention Arts' and 'Live EP'. Their third album will be released in 2010.
VWGC appeared at Music at GMC in 2009 but are returning in 2010 by popular demand. Don't miss this exciting and uplifting concert!

Peter Lattimer was born and educated in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. After National Service, he read music at Oxford and was also the assistant organist in the Cathedral. His teaching career was spent firstly at Hurstpierpoint College and then for 30 years at Bryanston School.
Since his retirement, he enjoys playing the organ at St Mary’s Church, Sturminster Newton and being involved with a multitude of other musical activites in the region.
Peter has performed at GMC several times in the past and has been a strong supporter of our musical endeavours. We are therefore delighted to welcome him back in 2010!

Ann Burgess was born and grew up in Leeds. It seemed entirely natural to play the organ as her mother and maternal grandfather had done before her, so she began learning the organ at the age of 17. Her younger brother, William Walls was organ scholar at Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Ann read music at Edinburgh University, where she was taught baroque history and fugue by the eminent Bach scholar, Peter Williams, and harmony and counterpoint by the composer, Kenneth Leighton.
As a student, Ann had organ lessons from Dennis Townhill at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, and subsequently from Kevin Duggan in Frome and most recently from Peter King at Bath Abbey.
Ann is an associate of the Royal College of Organists, and is Director of Music at Christ Church, Frome.

Robin Jackson and Maureen McAllister, husband and wife organ duettists, have been making a speciality of presenting a wide range of attractive and interesting music in their recital tours which have taken them up and down the Country and across to Ireland. In recent years they have played in the Cathedrals of St. Paul's, London, York Minster, Canterbury, Chester, Chichester, Exeter, Leicester, Winchester, St. Patrick's, Dublin, St. Anne's, Belfast, Dunblane, and Oban, The Kelvingrove Galleries in Glasgow, The Parr Hall, Warrington, and Croydon's Fairfield Halls. In July 2005 they played in Cardiff's St. David's Hall as part of the Welsh Proms season.
We've had many and varied concerts at Music at GMC, but this will be the first one featuring duets on our Sweetland organ. For all organ devotees!

Paul Goodman has been fascinated by the pipe organ from an early age. He first studied the organ with Paul Joslin and later with Thomas Trotter (Birmingham City Organist).
A strong interest in how the pipe organ works encouraged him in 1983 to help restore the 1906 Bevington organ in his church: Trinity Road Chapel, Tooting, London. He has travelled widely, visiting and playing many famous instruments in the UK and further afield, including The Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, Cathedrals of St Paul’s, Westminster, Liverpool, York Minster and many others. In the USA he has played some of the finest instruments including The Cathedral of St John The Divine New York, and even a few notes on the largest working organ in the world, with it’s six manuals and 30,000 pipes situated in Macy’s department store Philadelphia, known as the Wanamaker Organ.
On moving to Devon in 1997 Paul became Organist of North Street Chapel, North Tawton and later at the local Parish Church of Bow.
Paul has a large Digital/Pipe organ in his home near North Tawton, where he has organ concerts twice a year. Recitalists to date have included: Carlo Curley, David Briggs, Geoffrey Morgan and Nathan Laube. Jonathan Hope and Ian Tracey will be performing in 2010.

Professor Ian Tracey is one of Britain's best known and most widely respected musicians, having been organist at the monumental Anglican Cathedral in his home town of Liverpool for almost 30 years. His performances there on the famous 'Willis' organ - the largest in the UK - have thrilled the instrument's thousands of fans around the world and met with praise from the critics. He holds several other official positions and combines them with a busy freelance career as a recitalist and conductor.
Our audiences never tire of Ian's fantastic musicianship and playing style - not forgetting his amusing stories - and we are delighted to welcome him back to GMC in 2010 for his sixth visit.

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England. Knightley, who writes most of their inspired material and Beer, a dazzling multi instrumentalist, have built up a huge following which has seen them sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times, headline major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD and playing all over the world, from Europe to America, Australia and India. Voted Best Live Act by the public at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the jury is still out on just what kind of music they play. A genre defying mix of rock, roots, blues, country and trad, and often influenced by the music of other countries, it is played out on an array of instruments from slide guitar to fiddle, mandolin to South American cuatro. The talented Miranda Sykes has been performing with Show of Hands since 2004, augmenting their unique sound with her powerful double bass and rich harmonies. In this time the band have moved on from their folk duo image, and evolved into a hard hitting acoustic band, selling out UK and European tours and headlining some of the biggest festivals across the world.
Show of Hands first appeared in Gillingham during the 2006 Gillingham Festival and we are very excited to be welcoming them to GMC as part of their '2010 Beams and Spires' tour in November.
Book early to avoid disappointment!