Organ  Teacher

I studied the organ at Trinity College of Music, London and then privately with the late David Sanger, the international concert organist, teacher of organ and (between 2009-2010) President of the Royal College of Organists.  He, himself, was a pupil of world-renowned professors Marie-Claire Alain and Anton Heiller).  David Sanger was a superlative performer, an exacting and inspirational teacher, a delightful friend and a man of impeccably upright character whose common sense, humour and wisdom engendered affection and respect from all who knew him.  His passing, in the most tragic circumstances on the 28th of May 2010, is mourned deeply around the world.  May he rest in peace.  Details of commemorative events may be found on the Home Page of this website and on the David Sanger memorial website.

Organ Teaching

I accept pupils and give organ tuition according to the stipulations and recommendations of the Royal College of Organists and the Incorporated Society of Musicians (which latter organisation elected me as an accredited member of its Register of Private Professional Teachers, after exhaustive scrutiny of my modus operandi and having obtained thoroughly-validated references from within the profession).  The terms and conditions under which I teach privately are contained in a document entitled An agreement for music tuition, which is supplied as a hard copy to all prospective clients when I meet them for an initial consultation.

I encourage pupils toward idiomatic and authentic performance of a broad range of repertoire (for example, Early Spanish, Early English, French Baroque, North German and Low Countries Baroque, French Romantic and Twentieth Century, English Twentieth Century).  Correct fingering and ornamentation, authentic registration (including - where appropriate - the Spanish medio registro divided keyboard and use of the Cavaillé-Coll ventil system), the historical and practical contexts of the music and, most importantly, well-rounded and properly mature musical performance are fundamental to my teaching.  Theoretical and practical teaching is informed by an awareness of musical discovery, study, opinion and performance, together with personal performance on numerous organs (some of which are of musical and/or historic interest) in Britain, France, Germany and Spain.

I am now able to offer organ tuition at the Parish Church of St. Mary in Twickenham, Middlesex, where a fine Harrison & Harrison organ was built in 1996.  The versatile specification of this instrument, together with its superb action and voicing, allows a wide range of repertoire to be played convincingly.  Twickenham Parish Church is situated in the heart of old Twickenham (in Church Street, close by the Civic Centre) and is accessed easily by road (A305, A310), by rail (Twickenham) and by boat (the church stands close by the Thames).  Parking of cars on The Embankment, on Riverside and below the high water mark on Church Lane (and on any of the lanes leading down to this tidal river) is to be avoided at all costs!  Safer parking is available at Twickenham Civic Centre and elsewhere in the immediate area.

Organ Performance Courses

Young pupils usually attend training courses (principally the The Organ Scholar Experience course) given under the ægis of the The Royal College of Organists.  These residential courses, held principally in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and using organs of significant quality, enable pupils to perform development, examination and audition repertoire in masterclasses with some of Europe's leading players, whose insightful and positive comments and instruction helps to direct these young organists on their way towards musical maturity.  The social environment of such courses is also highly beneficial:  many firm friendships are formed during these events and, assisted by modern communications technology, attendees keep in contact subsequently, exchanging news and views and offering mutual encouragement.  The 2009 Oundle "Exploring New repertoire" course saw Christopher Breeze - one of Julie Ainscough's youngest organ pupils - win the Oundle for Organists' "Douglas May Prize" (worth £50) for the most promising young player on the course.  Lawrence Thain and Timothy Lambourn (then of Hampton School) both participated in the Royal College of Organists' 2007 Easter course at Cambridge, where the quality of their playing drew much positive comment.

Organ Scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge

My younger organ pupils are, more often than not, academic "high-flyers" and, whether they intend to read Music or a purely academic subject,  most intend from the outset to apply to Oxford or Cambridge.  Their candidacy for "OxBridge" organ scholarships is an important adjunct of their mainstream study, as significant achievement in the higher ABRSM organ grade examinations (i.e. Grade Six and above) endows them with valuable extra UCAS points and success in the September auditions may prove helpful at college interview time.  Having had satisfactory interviews and having gained both the conditional appointment as "Organ Scholar-elect" in their chosen college, plus the 'A'-level passes required to confirm their place, Organ Scholars going up for their first Michaelmas term can look forward to participation not only in the musical life of their college, but also of the wider university.  Social life amongst the organ and choral scholars is well-developed and full of opportunity.  Organ Scholars also tend to enjoy superior accommodation within their colleges (rather than in student flats across the city), normally with a practice piano and a telephone line provided.

Wednesday, November 3rd 2010 featured a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 of Choral Evensong from the chapel of New College Oxford, where Lawrence Thain is Organ Scholar.  The service included the Smith Responses, the canticles were the New College Service (1949) by Herbert Howells, the anthem was "I beheld and, Lo! A great Multitude" by John Blow and the postlude was the Bach Prelude in E minor (BWV548).  This broadcast was repeated on Sunday 07/11/2010.  Additionally, some services sung by the Choir of New College Oxford are available as webcasts from their own website.

August 2011 saw the University of Oxford confirm William Round (Upper VIth, Hampton School) as Organ Scholar-elect at Brasenose College, to commence in the Michaelmas Term 2011.  William will read PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) at Oxford.  William scored a fine Distinction (140 out of a possible 150 marks) at Grade Eight organ and was appointed as Organ Scholar at Hampton Court Palace in April 2009.

August 2010 saw the University of Oxford confirm the appointment of Henry Chandler (formerly of Hampton School) as Organ Scholar for Pembroke College, with effect from the start of the Michaelmas term 2010.  Henry will read Music at Oxford and is expecting to continue a strong commitment to playing both piano and violin.  Henry gained another excellent Distinction at Grade Eight organ in April 2009, scoring 141 out of 150.

August 2010 saw The University of Oxford also confirm the appointment of two of Julie Ainscough's private pupils as Organ Scholars:  Edward Buchanan is now Organ Scholar at Balliol College, where he is reading Modern Languages, while his identical twin brother, James, is now Organ Scholar at University College and reading Mathematics.  This brings to five the number of Julie Ainscough's organ pupils at Oxford and Cambridge universities as Organ Scholars at the start of the 2010 Michaelmas term.  All three new appointees had been due to study organ at Oxford with David Sanger, but will now study with Steven Grahl.

September 25th 2006 saw Dr. (now Professor) Edward Higginbottom announce the appointment of Lawrence Thain (Organ Scholar of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, 2005-2008), as Organ Scholar-elect for New College, Oxford, with effect from the start of the Michaelmas term 2008.  Lawrence has now completed his final year at Oxford, reading Music and gained the Fellowship Diploma of the Royal College of Organists in 2010, having studied at New College with Steven Grahl.  Lawrence achieved success (performance, aural tests and paperwork) in his candidacy for the (now modular) Associateship diploma of the R.C.O. in 2007, whilst still at Hampton School (see image above).  Some of Lawrence's earlier successes were detailed in the Spring 2007 issue of "RCO News", the members' quarterly journal of the Royal College of Organists.  Lawrence's preparation for his finals recital on the Grant, Degens and Bradbeer organ in the chapel of New College is the subject of a YouTube channel.  The recital comprised the following works:

1) Plein jeu;  Tierce en taille;  Récit de nasard;  Grand jeu (Premier Livre d’Orgue) - Louis Marchand,
2) Scherzo, Op.2 - Maurice Duruflé,
3) Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité, No.7 ("Le Père et le Fils aiment par le Saint-Espirit eux-mêmes et nous") - Olivier Messiaen,
4) Deux danses à Agni Yavishta (Op.61) - Jehan Alain,
5) Prélude et Fugue en Sol mineur [G minor] (Op.7 No.3) - Marcel Dupré.

September 20th 2007 saw Tim Lambourn appointed as Organ Scholar-elect for Jesus College, University of Cambridge, with effect from the start of the Michaelmas term 2008.  Tim has now completed his final year at Cambridge (reading Geography) and is now based in Aberdeen.  Having been studying organ at Oxford with the late David Sanger, Tim was overseen subsequently by Gordon Stewart.  Tim's candidacy for the Associateship Diploma of the Royal College of Organists was completed successfully in January 2008 and the diploma was conferred upon him in March (see image above).  Beside the historic Sutton organ (under restoration currently), Jesus College has added to the chapel a new instrument from Orgelbau Kuhn AG, the Swiss builder based in Männedorf (Zurich Canton).

The 2001-2004 Organ Scholarship at Exeter College, University of Oxford, was awarded to Timothy Burke, formerly Acting Assistant Organist - and previously Organ Scholar - at both All Saints, Kingston-upon-Thames Parish Church) and St. Mary the Virgin, Ewell Parish Church.  Tim achieved an excellent pass in the January 2001 examination for the Associateship Diploma of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO) at the age of eighteen years (winning the Durrant and Sowerbutts prizes) and also passed the recital element of the Fellowship Diploma (F.R.C.O.) examination in July 2001, making him the highest-qualified Organ Scholar-elect going up to Oxford in that year.

Timothy Burke's Finals recital, given in the chapel of Exeter College, was comprised of the Bach Prelude and Fugue in G Major (BWV541), the Reger Benedictus (Op.59 No.3) and the Deuxième Symphonie (Op.26) by Dupré.  He was gazetted on the Eighth of July 2003 with a First-Class Honours B.A. (M.A.) in Music by the University of Oxford and was awarded the Peter Street Prize for his "outstanding contribution to the academic and cultural life of Exeter College".  Having come down from Oxford, he assisted with the running of the Eton Choral Course and undertook postgraduate study at the Guildhall School of Music in London before moving to the National Opera Studio.  Timothy Burke was appointed also as Co-director of Music at All Saints' Parish Church, Kingston-upon-Thames, which post he held until 2007.  September 2006 saw him commence work at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden under the ægis of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme as a trainee conductor.  Subsequently, he was appointed as Artistic Director of Riverside Opera.  Timothy Burke is now Chorus Master of Opera North.

Organ Scholarships at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, and at Parish Church level

Organ Scholarships at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, may be offered, when appropriate, to former Chapel Royal boy choristers on music scholarships at Hampton School who are studying organ with Julie Ainscough.  This is a tremendous opportunity for these late-teenage players, as they learn to accompany the fully-choral, cathedral service-like music of the Chapel Royal and also to provide organ voluntaries of a commensurate standard.  Younger organ pupils (some of whom will have been Chapel Royal boy choristers) often benefit from tenure of organ scholarships in parish churches, where they begin to learn the skills necessary to accompany services and where they can perform organ music in public.  Prominent amongst these parish churches are St. Mary's, Twickenham, All Saints', Kingston-upon-Thames, All Saints', Woodham, Woking and St Mary's, Barnes.

Performance Competitions

Julie Ainscough has had numerous other successes with pupils:  this encompasses numerous prize-winners in the Croydon Music Festival:-
2011 Organ classes cancelled;
2010 "Intermediate" class;
2009 "Intermediate" class;
2008 "Advanced" class
2007 "Intermediate" class;
2006 "Advanced" class;
2005 "Advanced" class;
2004 "Advanced" class and "Intermediate" class;
2003 "Intermediate" class;
2002 "Intermediate" class;
2000 "Recital" class;
1999 "Advanced" class;
1997 "Intermediate" class.
A first foray into the Godalming Music Festival for very many years yielded success for two Hampton School pupils in March 2012.  The Harry Taylor Cup for the Beginners class went to Harry Baker, whilst the Challenge Cup for the under-19 years class went to Jonathan Huse, who scored 85/100 and also came second in the Bach (16 years & over) class with 90/100.

Hampton School

I am now involved with the School's management in a review of organ provision at Hampton School (with a view to increasing the school's profile in British organ-teaching) and is looking into the detail of how any possible successor to the 1930s Rushworth & Dreaper instrument in the School's Main Hall may be integrated with development plans (which include a new Performing Arts Centre and auditorium).  An interim arrangement has been made, to provide some practical cover for the present unreliability of the Rushworth organ, with the commissioning of a new forty-three stop electronic instrument (an entity referred to by many British organists - somewhat tongue-in-cheek - as "a toaster"!) of three manuals and pedals from Makin Organs, which was delivered from Holland during the Autumn term of 2007.  This has proved useful as a means of teaching - in school - the techniques involved in management of a large and complex organ equipped with the full panoply of modern registration aids.  The Makin instrument has also seen use in school orchestral and choral concerts.

I have overseen already the installation of a twelve stop, two-manual and pedal (mechanical action) modular pipe organ by Peter Collins in a building converted specially for the Music Department.  This acquisition offers the opportunity for organ tuition to be given while the Main Hall is being used for public examinations and other purposes.  The central part of this instrument can be separated from the rest of the organ so that the former may be used as a small continuo instrument (e.g. for Bach cantatas).  The Collins organ will be moved into the new Performing Arts Centre to allow its use with choirs and instrumental ensembles in rehearsal and performance.

Testimonials

"It will be a pleasure to meet and teach more of Julie's excellent students!" (DAVID SANGER, 06/05/2009)

"I just wanted to say how excellent I found Timothy Burke. I think he's a really splendid fellow and he's been exceedingly well-taught.  Many congratulations, Julie." (DAVID SANGER, 31/05/1999).

"The (organ) scholars at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, are usually gap year (or older) musicians, so (for Lawrence Thain) to be awarded the scholarship at 14 he must have a pretty good teacher."
(HAMPTON SCHOOL PARENT, 15/08/2005).

"It is clear to me that he (Tim Lambourn) has been extremely well-taught".
(DANIEL HYDE, Jesus College Cambridge, 16/10/2007).

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