A sixth former at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire is the first female ever to be awarded an organ scholarship at St Peter’s College Oxford, where she will read Music. The Director of Music at the college jokingly said at her interview and audition that he “wasn’t aware organists came in the female form!”
Mary Ann is junior organ scholar at Blackburn Cathedral and leads a demanding life fitting in her liturgical duties with her A level work at Stonyhurst, a Jesuit boarding and day school in the Ribble Valley. She is a versatile organist and, as well as accompanying psalms, enjoys playing theatre organs, and has given concerts on the Wurlitzer organ at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
The Headmaster, Mr Andrew Johnson, said: “Mary Ann has done extremely well, in the face of very tough competition. I’m please to say that we have several female organists at Stonyhurst and am happy to confirm to St Peter’s College that they do indeed exist!”