On Wednesday 11th September we welcome Alastair Stone from Ripon Cathedral for the second recital of the 2024 autumn season. In this edition of ‘Notes from an Organist’ we discover more about them, and what to expect from their recital including playing at Ripon’s Summer Organ Festival; marking the 400th anniversary of Pembroke College Oxford; and directing We Will Rock You!
Could you introduce yourself, how you got into music / become an organist and your musical journey to where you are today?
I am Alastair Stone, Assistant Organist at Ripon Cathedral, delighted to be playing at Bradford. I had piano lessons from quite a young age, but my musical journey really began when I was a chorister at Coventry Cathedral – which is where I was first exposed to the wonders of choral and organ repertoire. I sang at Coventry for nearly a decade as a chorister and choral scholar, became organ scholar before going to university, and then was at Oxford for 3 years as a music student and organ scholar. I joined the team at Ripon after graduating last summer.
What can people expect from your recital at Bradford Cathedral?
A varied programme spanning several musical periods, hoping to showcase a number of different colours and moods.
Why do you enjoy playing the organ?
I enjoy having a wide range of musical sounds at my disposal, as there are always new combinations of stops to experiment with. The size of many organs too is awe-inspiring, and it is of course very exciting to be the loudest in the room!
Do you have a particular favourite piece out of those you are playing?
I very much enjoy playing Vierne’s 1st Organ Symphony, particularly the Final, as it is such a uplifting and energetic piece of music.
This season’s theme is ‘The Town Hall Organ (Secular and Concert Repertoire)’. How are you reflecting this in your programme?
I have chosen pieces that have some concrete connections to non-secular events and practices – including civic events and pedagogical resources, as well as pieces that, like much concert repertoire, focus on being musically ‘pure’, without any associations or connotations to non-musical ideas.
What are your hopes or plans musically for the rest of 2024 and into 2025?
I hope to continue to expand my own repertoire, in liturgical and non-liturgical settings, and look to what my next steps will be when my time at Ripon finishes.
You were appointed as the new Assistant Organist at Ripon Cathedral in September 2023. How has your first year in the role been?
My first year at Ripon has been very enlightening – having the chance to work in a thriving cathedral music department and see what it takes to run the day to day of a cathedral choral foundation has been invaluable. With our high number of choristers and no choir school, Ripon is also a great example of how to run a choir in the current climate of musical education.
Back in June you led the Summer Organ Festival at Ripon – how did that go?
The cathedral’s Summer Organ Festival was very successful, it was wonderful to see so many people attend our short series of concerts, including many of our own choristers and scholars. I thought my own recital went well – I used it as a chance to play in the first half my FRCO programme before the exam in July (which I passed with prizes!), and the second half to play all of Vierne’s Organ Symphony no.1, a rare time where I as a soloist had performed an extended work all at once.
Previously you were a chorister at Coventry Cathedral – how did you find that time?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time as a chorister, not least because of the exposure I had to choral and organ music, in which I was almost immediately engrossed, but because it provided a truly excellent musical and professional education. Being a chorister not only teaches children a high standard of musical fluency, but also puts them into a disciplined and structured environment where they are given real responsibility and accountability – which is an invaluable life lesson. Coventry Cathedral particularly with its Ministry of Reconciliation is a powerful and historic place, so it was also a real privilege to be a part of that community.
You recently graduated as an organ scholar at Pembroke College Oxford. What have been your highlights of this period of study?
Highlights of being an organ scholar were the opportunities I had to lead a choir properly for the first time, particularly around Christmas when singing familiar favourites at Carol services excited the choir, as there was a real sense of community in the life of the chapel. Being a musician in Oxford, with an abundance of musical activity around every corner, was very exciting, and I really enjoyed getting involved with as many different events as possible.
You also played as part of their 400th anniversary concerts; was that a privilege to be involved with?
It was great to be back at Pembroke to give a recital on the lovely organ there, at such a special time in the college’s history, and a privilege to be part of those celebrations after I had left.
You’ve also been the musical director for runs of ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Guys and Dolls’. Did you find working with a different style of music interesting?
I have had some of the most fun working on productions of musical theatre, and really enjoy being in those environments. The different styles of music are definitely very interesting, WWRY with its rock and pop genre, and Guys and Dolls with its mix of more traditional musical theatre and jazz, all broaden my own knowledge.
Finally, how would you sum up your upcoming recital at Bradford Cathedral?
An exciting mix of diverse musical styles and characters, all with very different connections to the season’s theme.
You can join us on Wednesday 11th September at 1pm to hear Alastair’s organ recital, with an optional £4 buffet lunch beforehand at 12:30pm.
You can discover more about our organ recital season on our dedicated page.