It’s probably about 4 or 5 years since Anna Lapwood came to our attention as a prolific user of social media to present her enjoyment of the organ in lots of guises and locations.
Our first meeting with her occurred just before lockdown in 2020 when she purchased in the nick of time her first Viscount home practice instrument. A 2 manual Chorum 40-S. You may well have seen some of the many videos she published on that instrument covering a wide range of topics from instructive to comical. I particularly like the Coffee Cantata edition and one I can no longer find balancing a toilet roll on her head while playing a trio sonata.
It was clear from these early videos she has an amazing talent to communicate and entertain. And so, from those early beginnings her now huge profile has grown.
Inspiring young talent to take up the organ
From TV presenter of the Proms and Young Musicians competitions to creating numerous short TikTok videos from the mighty Albert Hall organ. Never before has the organ been so well presented as the all round magical musical instrument that it is. It offers so much more than the narrower liturgical role in which it is more commonly seen.
In fact, I can attribute with near certainty a sea change in the level of young musicians taking up the organ with the timing of Anna’s videos raising the profile.
An upgrade swap that benefits the students at Pembroke College
So, it was a great pleasure to see Anna moving very recently onto a 3 manual home practice instrument. For most of us 2 manuals are more than adequate, providing the freedom to practice whenever we want unless we risk disturbing the neighbours at unsocial hours. But for musicians at Anna’s level, it is near essential to have the facility of 3 manuals at hand for the more complex repertoire that her recital work will include.
Anna now has the latest Physis Plus technology with improved sound quality over the Chorum it has replaced. We delivered the new Ensign Compact 45 to her home and removed the Chorum 40-S which now sits in a room at Pembroke College where Anna is Director of Music. The instrument will be available at all hours for student practice. There is of course a fine instrument in the college chapel but like church buildings this is not always available to indulge a single musicians need to play the organ.
A college organ race
This addition to the college musical resources brings the total of Cambridge Colleges with Viscount instruments to 4, so still a long way to go. But that’s 4 more than Oxford, although shortly that score board will move to Cambridge 4 Oxford 1. But more news of that in the coming weeks.
Congratulations Anna on your MBE from all the Viscount team. Thank you for showing the organ off as an exciting and engaging instrument and setting far more youngsters on the road exploring the huge repertoire the instrument offers beyond its traditional and important Sunday service support.
Watch a Video Demonstration of the Ensign Compact 45
I have had a passion for church organs since the tender age of 12. I own and run Viscount Organs with a close attention to the detail that musicians appreciate; and a clear understanding of the benefits of digital technology and keeping to the traditional and emotional elements of organ playing.