Church Organist

Church Organist currently Stephen Parker

I started my musical journey as a boy Chorister aged 8 at Ossett Parish Church west Yorkshire; it was there that l became fascinated with the large pipe organ and the organist at the time encouraged me and gave me organ lessons ….

I went on to have further organ lessons at Halifax Minster with Philip Tordoff FRCO and Leeds Minster with Jonathan Lilley now at Waltham Abbey.

I was made a Fellow of the Guild of Musicians and Singers in 2013, l have had many organist posts over the years my longest was as Director of Music at Dewsbury Minster for over 23 years this was a large Town Centre Church that had a varied music programme and re installed a large 3 manual pipe organ which l was heavily involved with, other posts include Director of Music at St Peters and St Johns Horbury and Horbury Bridge this was a challenging post to start reusing the pipe organ and build up the choir and introduce new music in the two parishes that were of the Anglo Catholic tradition. I then went to be the organist at St Marys Woodkirk, near Leeds. This was a beautiful church over 950 years old that had a wonderful vicar and congregation and again l was able to increase the breadth of music there.

Then l moved to Bridlington in 2022 and became the Organist at St John’s Burlington Methodist Church where we are hoping to restore the 1893 Forster& Andrews organ and lift the musical profile of this busy and welcoming Church ….

I have always believed music is an expression of my faith and have many people to thank for their support and encouragement who saw and nurtured the gift in me as a young boy chorister.

Besides playing the Church Organ l enjoy playing Theatre organs and have played many times at Ossett Town Hall on the Compton Theatre organ there and was lucky enough to be able to play the Wurlitzer at the Tower Ballroom Blackpool.

Stephen Parker, organist