Organ  Teacher

Julie Ainscough studied the organ at Trinity College of Music, London and then privately with David Sanger, the international concert organist, teacher of organ and (for 2009-2011) President of the Royal College of Organists.  He, himself, is a former pupil of world-renowned professors Marie-Claire Alain and Anton Heiller).  Her career in organ teaching goes hand-in-hand with other professional commitments which include both solo performance and accompaniment on organ, harpsichord and piano, plus choral direction and piano tuition.  Julie Ainscough is now well-advanced (on a part-time basis) with compositional and research work aimed at the award of a Doctorate from the University of Surrey.

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

Julie Ainscough encourages 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 Cavaillé-Coll's ventil system), the historical and practical contexts of the music and, most importantly, well-rounded and properly mature musical performance are fundamental to her 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.  Young pupils usually attend courses (principally the "Prospective Organ Scholars" course) given under the ægis of the Oundle Organ School.  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.

Julie Ainscough is 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.  Broadly, Julie Ainscough is available to provid

Prize-winning organ pupils have attained worthwhile organ scholarships, most notably the 2001-2004 Organ Scholarship at Exeter College, University of Oxford, which 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.  He is now Chorus Master of Opera North and, prior to this, was Artistic Director of Riverside Opera.

September 25th 2006 saw Dr. Edward Higginbottom announce that the University of Oxford had appointed Lawrence Thain (see also below) as Organ Scholar-elect for New College, with effect from the start of the Michaelmas term 2008.  Lawrence achieved success (performance, aural tests and paperwork) in his candidacy for the (now modular) Associateship diploma of the Royal College of Organists whilst still at Hampton School.  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 Thain and Timothy Lambourn (also from 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.  Successful candidacies in the Summer 2007 RCO Associateship examinations were also achieved by Christopher Murphy (paperwork) and Tim Lambourn (aural tests and paperwork).

Lawrence Thain demitted office as Organ Scholar of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, at the end of the Summer Term 2008.  Curiously, the May 2008 edition of "Cantamus" (the journal of the Choir of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace) claimed that the 2008-09 Organ Scholarship had been conferred upon another of Julie Ainscough's pupils from Hampton School, William Round.  This - despite William's prowess at the instrument - was most certainly not the case and the source of this error has yet to come to light.  William was as mystified by the report as his teacher and Carl Jackson, Organist & Choirmaster at the Chapel Royal!  All was well in the end, though, as William (having just scored a good Distinction at Grade Eight organ - 140 out of a possible 150 marks) was appointed as Organ Scholar at Hampton Court Palace in April 2009 and goes on now to the Lower Sixth Form in September. William's fellow Hampton School examinee, Henry Chandler, gained another good Distinction at Grade Eight organ in April 2009, scoring 141;  he now goes on to the Upper Sixth Form and OxBridge organ scholarship auditions in September.

Lawrence Thain gave two public concerts during the 2009 summer season:  on Monday the 10th of August, he gave a solo organ recital as part of the Three Choirs Festival and, on Sunday the 12th of July, he performed with the The Blenheim Singers and the Choir of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Masovia, from Plock, in Poland, in the Blenheim Palace Sunday Music series.  Lawrence plays a full part in the musical life of New College and its internationally-famous choir:  2009 sees the New College chapel choir visit France, Germany (twice) and Poland, Latvia and Spain.

September 20th 2007 saw the University of Cambridge appoint Tim Lambourn as Organ Scholar-elect for Jesus College, with effect from the start of the Michaelmas term 2008.  Tim will have not one, but two organs to play, as Jesus College chapel has just added beside the historic Sutton organ (under restoration currently) a new instrument from Orgelbau Kuhn AG, the Swiss builder based in Männedorf (Zurich Canton).  Tim Lambourn was successful in his Spring 2008 candidacy for the ARCO performance module.

September 23rd 2009 saw the University of Oxford appoint Henry Chandler (currently in the Upper Sixth form at Hampton School) as Organ Scholar-elect 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.  The University has also appointed one of Julie Ainscough's private pupils, Edward Buchanan, as Organ Scholar-elect for Balliol College, where he will read Modern Languages.  These announcements were made on the morning in which the Oxford auditions and interviews were concluded and came somewhat earlier than expected.  Word was received on Saturday the 26th of September about Edward's identical twin brother, James, who also auditioned at Oxford and went through the same process at Cambridge:  James plans to read Mathematics next year and has now been appointed Organ Scholar-elect for University College, Oxford.  This will bring the number of Julie Ainscough's organ pupils at Oxford and Cambridge universities as Organ Scholars to five by the start of the 2010 Michaelmas term.

Julie Ainscough has had numerous other successes with pupils:  this encompasses numerous prize-winners in the Croydon Music Festival:-
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 - adjudicated by Simon Preston;
1999 "Advanced" class;
1997 "Intermediate" class (at which Barry Rose awarded First, Second and Third places to her pupils in a well-subscribed competition).

Julie Ainscough is 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.

Julie Ainscough has 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.

Julie Ainscough took charge - from Advent Sunday 2002 - of a fine, three-manual "Father" Willis organ, on commencement of her appointment as Director of Music for the Parish Church of Saint Mary the Virgin at Ewell, near Epsom in Surrey.  This instrument is of closely similar technical specification and quality to the renowned organ of Truro Cathedral (built just two years earlier by the same distinguished Company).  The Ewell Willis is the principal instrument upon which Julie Ainscough teaches private pupils.  Ewell Parish Church is situated in the heart of Ewell Village and is accessed easily by road (A24, A240) and by rail (Ewell West, Ewell East).  Burgeoning demand for her services as a teacher of organ and piano, together with an increasing commitment to composition, and with changes at the church, have now rendered Julie Ainscough's tenure of the post at Ewell impracticable.  Her resignation took effect from September 2007.  She will, however, continue to offer tuition on the Ewell organ and remains available to play for funerals at St. Mary's as the present Director of Music's major week-day commitment is as Head of Music at Emanuel School, London SW11.

"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, 31/05/99).

"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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