Community Keyboards on Oldham Community Radio

I was recently in Manchester for the launch concert of a Theatre Organ project I am involved with and I met Ian Wolstenholme who introduced me to an interesting programme he produces on a monthly basis for Oldham Community Radio.

The programme Community Keyboards covers all aspects of the organ world from Theatre to Classical and puts out two monthly one hour programmes.

The programmes are broadcast on 99.7 fm and of course on the internet. So if you are travelling within about 30 miles of Oldham you can listen in your car or if you’re seated at your computer, you can tune in whenever you have the time.

Need more Organ Music on mainstream media

It’s so very hard today to find any organ broadcast on our mainstream media it is refreshing to find this regional broadcaster devoting a whole hour twice a month to the ‘King of Instruments’ in all its various guises.

If you tune into the June edition you will catch a few minutes of me taking about the Theatre Organ project. It’s digital of course! So no surprises there.

So why does this small regional broadcaster manage to justify two whole hours a month to what is a niche interest? I have no doubt it is the proximity to Blackpool and the world famous Wurlitzer in the Tower Ballroom. Incidentally I recently learnt that the Tower Ballroom Organ is played 7 days a week for 7 hours a day. Observing that this must be the most played instrument in the UK I was quickly corrected and told it’s the most played instrument in the world – unless of course you know different?

David Mason

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.