Music News - July 2025 

June got off to a flying start with an organ recital by our organ scholar, Ziyi, given after the morning service on the first of the month. Ziyi has been a tremendous asset to music at St Mary’s, accompanying services with great confidence and honing her skills under the watchful eyes of Oli and Jeremy. Prolonged dry weather tends to give our organ the collywobbles, but Ziyi tamed the fickle beast with considerable authority, most notably with Léon Boëllmann’s Suite Gothique. We would like to thank Ziyi for her hard work and dedication and wish her well.

The annual SMMA AGM took place in the Parish Rooms at the end of May. There was much to be thankful for, not least the contribution our new chairperson, Hannah Razzell, who has breathed new life into the SMMA, raised considerable funds for its work, and, as a result of the new coffee concerts and outreach work, has opened the doors of St Mary’s to a broader spectrum of the public. Jeremy Trew also praised Oli and Kate Beare for their work to bring young people into the church, through their invaluable work with Joyful Noise and the Junior Choir.

The lunchtime concerts began again on the fourth of June and continue with return visits from stunning pianist Joanna Lam, pianist Derek Scurll who accompanies clarinettist Stephanie Reeve, and flautist Joanna Byers, a former choir-member, performs on flute. If you have not yet attended a Wednesday lunchtime concert, please do!

July will mark the appointment of our new organ scholar – auditions will take place in July, so our prayers are with the audition panel as they make difficult choices to find the best candidate.

One more shout to remind you to put July 12th in your diary. Following the enormous success of last year’s recital by the world-famous Jonathan Scott, we welcome another giant of the organ world, Wayne Marshall, who will give a recital at 5pm. The music will be wonderful, the catering exquisite: there will be no finer way to start a Saturday evening!

Philip Sunderland