Organ Recital

The 2024 Cathedral Organ Recital Series welcomes first-rate organists to play Truro’s acclaimed Father Willis Organ. This week we welcome Jonathan Bielby. This recital will be live-streamed on this page at 13:10 and our YouTube channel

Programme

Bio

Jonathan is a choral director, organist and composer. He attended Magdalen College School, Oxford and was organ scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge. He became assistant organist of Manchester Cathedral and taught at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Manchester College of Music. He is organist emeritus of Wakefield Cathedral, where he was organist and director of music for forty years from 1970 to 2010.

Jonathan was first borough organist of Huddersfield Town Hall and a full-time lecturer at Leeds College of Music for 25 years. As resident organist he master-minded the rebuilds of the 4-manual Willis at Huddersfield Town Hall and the 5-manual Compton at Wakefield Cathedral. Since retiring he has been acting director of music at Magdalene College, Cambridge, St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, Llandaff Cathedral and is now director of music at Kendal Parish Church.

As a composer Jonathan has written mainly for organ and voices. His two large scale choral works, 'This Precious Earth' and 'Seven Last Words from the Cross', have been warmly received. 'This Precious Earth' has a powerful message about protecting our planet while 'Seven Last Words' puts the crucifixion story from St Mary Magdalene's point of view. His compositions have been performed by the choirs of St. Paul's Cathedral, St. George's Chapel, Windsor, St. Thomas's Church, New York, St. John's College, Cambridge, Magdalene College, Cambridge, Magdalen College, Oxford, the BBC Singers, and by organists Francis Jackson and Stephen Farr.

Jonathan has performed in many of the cathedrals and town halls in Britain. He has made recordings from Huddersfield and Rochdale Town Halls, Huddersfield University and Wakefield Cathedral. Jonathan has been awarded honorary fellowships by the Guild of Church Musicians and the Royal School of Church Music. In 2011 he was appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to choral music.

Live-stream

The series runs from March to October and each recital lasts around 45 minutes. There is no charge to attend or listen to these concerts. We rely on your support to help with the cost of maintaining the cathedral’s famous Father Willis Organ. Keeping the cathedral’s musical instruments in first-rate condition enables us to put on such recitals.

To give regularly by Direct Debit, please use the Parish Giving Scheme Single donations can be made through Just Giving

Popular donations are £5/person