ALTON ORGAN SOCIETY (Founded 1967) ♬♪𝄞 Updated Wednesday 7 January 2026

Alton Organ Society's 2025/2026 Season of Organ Concerts
Organ Recitals Nationwide

Joshua Simões (His Majesty's Chapel Royal, Hampton Court) gave the most riveting, accomplished and technically perfect organ concert to Alton's astonished audience at Josh's brilliance. Moreover, most of the music was new to this discerning audience with a strong Epiphany theme. Josh opened his concert with a modern work by organist, Thierry Escaich, Évocation ii. A double pedal ostinato bass on active C set the scene for clashing chords and harmonies in this extraordinary French work. The persistent and unchanging pedal point almost gave the impression of percussion. To open your concert with such demanding and contemporary composition, heralded the genius of Josh's playing. He next moved to more recognisable works by Buxtehude and Bach both professionally performed. We are used to hearing the famous Luther adapted Christmas hymn - "From heaven above earth, come" - by JS Bach. What we heard was Toccata on "Von Himmel hoch, da komm ich her" by American organist and composer Garth Edmundson. While the hymn tune was clearly heard on the pedals, Josh played on the manuals the unrelenting demi-semi quavers at great speed and skill. We heard two pieces by organist and composer Gaston Litaize who was blind from birth. He was considered to be one of the 20th century's masters of the French organ. Both pieces were probably new to the audience but the way Josh played the complex pieces was a revelation, again, revealing his technical and musical skills. Epiphany is not complete without Olivier Messaien's "Les Mages from La Nativité du Seigneur. Messiaen's "La Mages" (The Wise Men) is perhaps one of the most descriptive compositions describing the revered scholars from the east who followed the star to find the infant Jesus, bring gifts and celebrate their recognition of Jesus's divinity. Josh's musical background is very interesting. As early as 4years old music was in his blood and he started out learning to play the violin. When he was first introduced to the organ (playing for services aged 11) he knew that was his future. He was also a chorister at Westminster Abbey and like many of his chorister friends, used that experience to progress rapidly and successfully in his chosen profession as an organist. We were fortunate to see this talented and gifted musician display his exemplary skills in what was a most entertaining and educative organ concert. Thank you Josh for starting 2026 with such an enjoyable organ concert. His programme can be viewed here.

The second organ concert in 2026 will be given by Oliver Morrell (Winchester Cathedral) Tuesday 3 February 2026 starting at 8.00 pm. Refreshments will be available from 7.30 pm. Oliver's programme can be viewed here. In the meantime, we wish everyone a Happy New Year and we look forward to seeing you at our 2026 organ concerts.

Full details of the wonderful line up of guest organists can be seen here. Keep in touch and visit this website and see details of individual organists as their respective programmes and biographies are added. Admission to each concert is £12. However, you can take out Season Membership for £72 which is equivalent to £9 for each of the 8 organ concerts between October 25 and May 26. Click here to download a copy of the Season Membership application form. Peter Wright's biog and programme has now been added to the website and can be viewed here.

Alton Organ Society Committee - New Members Welcome

The organ society committee is keen to attract new members to maintain the future success of Alton Organ Society now in its 59th year. There are tasks that do not require organ playing skills but the ability to administer the running of the society. For instance, if you are interested and able to be a graphic designer - creating posters, designing programme formats etc - we would like to hear from you. Maybe you are good at running a website including updating on a regular basis to keep it fresh and interesting. Again, we would like to hear from you. If you plan to attend any of the future organ concerts and would like to discuss these roles with committee members, please do approach one of us. If you wish to contact us by email, please click here.

David Hill MBE organist and International Choral Director, Patron of the Alton Organ Society and currently President of the Royal College of Organists very kindly recorded a CD on the St Lawrence Church, Alton, organ to celebrate 55 years of the Organ Society and to raise funds for the restoration of the Speechly organ. The music was recorded by Herald AV Publications, a specialist recording company, in October 2022. The CD was launched at St Lawrence Church, Alton on Tuesday 4 October 2022. The CD costs £15 of which £3.00 of the purchase price will go towards the organ restoration fund. David's CD was reviewed by Choir & Organ Magazine and copies of that review and Graeme Kay's article on the Society can be seen here. The CD can be purchased from members of the Society Committee, from Resurrection Furniture in Alton and at the Society's Organ Concerts. For further details and purchase of a CD do use the contact page here.

There is an excellent website that lists national organ concerts (including those held in Alton) and can be viewed here. Please list altonorgansociety.co.uk & Organ Recitals Nationwide among your favourites.