On Monday 20 January Tom Bell, an internationally acclaimed recitalist and visiting organ teacher at the Royal Hospital School, hosted the first RHS Organ Open Day, assisted by Crompton Organ Scholar Oli Morris. The organ loft was open all day for pupils to enjoy interactive demonstrations.
More than a hundred pupils, aged from 11 to 18, flocked up and down the stairs to the organ loft over the course of the day, many of whom were able to try their hands (and feet) at mastering the one of the finest pipe organs in Europe. Some were even lucky enough to be shown inside the impressive instrument itself, coming face to face with its scale and complexities.
William Saunders, Director of Music, said, “The day was a triumphant success, giving RHS pupils a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the extraordinary work of art that has, until now, loomed forbiddingly above them – a mystery to all but a tiny few. Given the popularity of the event, we hope to repeat it each term and eventually ensure that nobody passes through RHS without learning a little more about the King of Instruments and realising quite how lucky we are to have so majestic an example sitting, ready for use, in our own Chapel”.
The Royal Hospital School is a coeducational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 year olds set in 200 acres of Suffolk Countryside overlooking the River Stour.