To hear Wayne Marshall OBE play or conduct you might travel to Austria, Portugal, or Japan. Or the Royal Albert Hall. Or you could come to Ixworth.
Renown
One of the best organists in the world, Wayne is expert in improvisation, but also a classical musician with a range including Bach, Brahms and Gershwin. He was the Chief Conductor of WDR Funkhaus Orchestra Cologne from 2014 to 2020. His current activities take him around the world, both conducting and giving recitals.
Wayne is just back from Detroit, where he played piano with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in a concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of Rhapsody in Blue.
Meanwhile, Grant Vicat is the organist at St Mary the Virgin in Ixworth. Like many East Anglian churches, this is a church that is very grand for the size of the village’s current population. It boasts an organ with a fine tone. That’s perhaps not surprising as Grant is a trained organ builder, so it is kept in prime condition.
Recycle and repair
What brought the two together? Wayne Marshall says: “I found this amazing Harmonium in Witchford Recycling Centre last year. It was built by the American Harmonium Company – Palace Organs – in 1887! Now it works again – thanks to my friend Grant Vicat – I’m very happy!”
Wayne posted a video on Facebook of him playing his harmonium, avoiding the notes that were broken. Grant contacted him and offered to help restore it. A project was born.
The two of them spent several days over the summer fixing the harmonium. On one visit, Grant drove Wayne to his home in Ixworth to collect some harmonium bits from the shed. Wayne spotted the church over the road and popped in.
Recital
There, he tried out the organ and was very taken with it. To such an extent that he asked if he could come and give a recital!
That recital is taking place on Sunday, 20th October, at 18:00. Illustrating Wayne’s range, it will include music from Bach’s Toccata to improvisations on West Side Story tunes. So, here’s our opportunity to hear a world-class organist playing in one of our great East Anglian churches. What a combination.
The tickets are excellent value at £15 including drinks and canapes. 12 years and under are free. They can be booked from Grant Vicat or Frances Ferneyhough or on the door. There’s parking in the village hall car park on the opposite side of Ixworth High Street from the church.
