2025 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
13 and 14 September 2025
Three free events for your enjoyment over the weekend, part of Heritage Open Days:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ!
Be a chorister for the afternoon
Sunday afternoon pipe organ concert by Laurence Caldecote
Saturday 13 September:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ!
11:00am-2:00pm
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ.
Hands on the Willis!
Free event - no need to book, just drop in. Cake, coffee and tea available in the Parish Hall. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Budding organists and pianists of all ages - please bring your favourite sheet music to try on the pipe organ. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs.
Hands on the Willis pipe organ
Drop in during this time and let our organ guides give you a close look at the newly-restored Willis Pipe Organ.
Put your hands on the keys, feet on the pedals and feel its power for yourself. Players bring some music and we can help you register the organ for you to play it.
An exhibition will be on display.
Be a chorister for the afternoon
2:00pm-6:00pm (singers please arrive from 1:30pm to register and pick up the scores)
Marcela Campaña
Free event for singers who would like sing music for Evensong with the Willis Pipe organ. Singers aged 8 and above - this is your chance to learn and sing some lovely music for Evensong with the Willis Pipe Organ, conducted by Marcela Campaña with Jacob Collins playing the organ (see their biographies below).
Singers of all parts - Trebles, Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses - please book in advance to help us ensure we have sufficient music scores on the day. We may also send out information about practice resources before the day if you want to try out the music beforehand.
Jacob Collins at the Willis console
Music to be sung (chosen by Jacob Collins):
- Introit: Charles Wood "Never weather beaten sail"
- Psalm: 66
- Canticles: Herbert Brewer "Magnificat & Nunc Dimitus in D"
- Preces & Responses: to be decided
- Hymns: to be decided
- Anthem: Malcolm Archer "At the round earth's imagined corners"
Schedule for the afternoon:
- 1:30pm Singers arrive and collect musical scores
- 2:00pm-3:15pm Choral singing part 1
- 3:15pm-3:30pm Refreshments and comfort break
- 3:30pm-4:45pm Choral singing part 2
- 4:45pm-5:00pm comfort break and get in position for singing Evensong
- 5:00pm-5:50pm Choral Evensong
- 5:50pm hand back scores and depart
This is a free event as part of Heritage Open Days. Refreshments (tea/coffee/squash and cake) will be for sale during the afternoon and donations towards the maintenance of the Willis organ and the cost of this event will be gratefully received.
For singers aged 8-12, one parent or guardian is requested to stay in the church for the afternoon.
Jacob Collins (b. 1997) BMus(Hons) MLitt FFSC ARCO ARSM is an organist, conductor and composer based in Buckinghamshire. He is Director of Music at Crown Court Church of Scotland (‘The Kirk to the Crown of Scotland’) in Covent Garden and as of January 2025 is also Director of Chapel Music at St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford. He holds a Masters Degree in Sacred Music from the University of St Andrews and has recently been elected to membership in the Royal Society of Musicians and as a Fellow of the Fraternity of Saint Cecilia, a learned society for liturgical musicians. Jacob is also an Associate of the Royal College of Organists and of the Royal Schools of Music.
Marcela Campaña, is an Argentinian-born choral conductor based in Northampton, she holds a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Birmingham. She currently serves as the Choral Director for the Catholic Diocese of Northampton, working within the National Schools Singing Programme. She also leads the Catholic Northampton Diocese Junior Choir, which has one group based in Milton Keynes. The age range is 7-11. Additionally, Marcela is the Musical Director of the Northampton Chamber Choir.
Sunday 14 September:
Sunday afternoon Pipe Organ concert by Laurence Caldecote
Laurence Caldecote
3:00pm-4:00pm (refreshments from 2:30pm)
Laurence Caldecote plays a concert on the Willis organ making good use of the architecture of the building for a variety of tones and sounds. The programme will appear here in September.
An exhibition will be on display.
Free event - no need to book. Cake, coffee and tea available from 2:30pm. The concert starts at 3:00pm. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund are welcome.
Laurence Caldecote is the Assistant Organist at All Saints', Northampton, where he accompanies the choirs for services, concerts, and tours (Poitiers 2019, Zaragoza 2023, Orvieto & Assisi 2025), and more notably live on BBC1 for Pentecost Sunday 2024. Laurence is an experienced accompanist, specialising in choral accompaniment and work with solo vocalists. Laurence specialises in improvisation and is also an accomplished pianist as well as an active and published composer. He is an active recitalist, and has played venues in the UK, Norway, and the USA. He enjoys collaborating with other musicians, and most recently, he played the organ at the Royal Albert Hall with the US group Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
2024 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
11, 14 and 15 September 2024
Wednesday 11 September:
Come and Sing with the Willis pipe organ rehearsal
7:00pm-8:30pm
Free event for choral singers who would like to join the Parish Church choir for the evening as we rehearse for a Festal Eucharist which will take place the following Sunday morning in St Mary & St Giles. Schubert's Mass in G major features (Kyrie and Gloria sections) as the setting while the anthem will be a setting of the ‘Te Deum’ by established local living Northamptonshire composer, Robert Tucker. Please let us know you plan to sing with the church choir to help us ensure we have sufficient copies of the music.
Hands on the Willis!
Saturday 14 September:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ!
11:00am-2:00pm
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ.
Free event - no need to book, just drop in. Cake, coffee and tea available in the Parish Hall. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Hands on the Willis pipe organ
Budding organists and pianists of all ages - please bring your favourite sheet music to try on the pipe organ. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs.
Drop in during this time and let our organ guides give you a close look at the newly-restored Willis Pipe Organ. Put your hands on the keys, feet on the pedals and feel its power for yourself. Players bring some music and we can help you register the organ for you to play it.
An exhibition exploring the routes, connections and networks in this pipe organ will be on display.
Organ Masterclass - CANCELLED
Unfortunately we have had to cancel the Masterclass - apologies for any disappointment.
Sunday 15 September:
Come and Sing Festal Eucharist with the Willis pipe organ
9:30am-10:45am (9:10am brief warmup for the choir in the Parish Hall)
Free event for choral singers who would like to join the Parish Church choir singing for a festal Eucharist on Sunday morning in St Mary & St Giles at 9:30am. Schubert's Mass in G major features (Kyrie and Gloria sections) as the setting while the anthem will be a setting of the ‘Te Deum’ by established local living Northamptonshire composer, Robert Tucker. For further details of the rehearsal the previous Wednesday including how to let us know you plan to attend and the Festal Eucharist please see the Music for All @ SMSG website. Jonathan Kingston directs the music, and accompanies the liturgy on the Willis organ. Please note this event is part of the regular worship pattern in the church.
Pipe organ Musical connections concert by James Lloyd Thomas MA FRCO FTCL LRAM GTCL: James showcases and explores ‘musical connections’ on the Willis organ
4:00pm-5:00pm (refreshments from 3:00pm)
James Lloyd Thomas
A concert on the Willis organ by James Lloyd Thomas showcasing 'musical connections' featuring Bach and his Circle.
His Inspiration:
Sweelinck – Mein Junges Leben hat ein End
Pachelbel – Ciacona in F minor
Buxtehude – Jig Fugue in C
The Pupils:
JC Kittle – Prelude in E b
Krebs – Fugue on ‘B A C H’
The Man Himself:
J S Bach (attrib.) – Toccata and Fugue in D minor
J S Bach – Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele
Vivaldi arr. J S Bach – Concerto in A minor
(3 movements, all unmarked)
Those He Inspired:
A Heiller – Variations on ‘Nun Komm’, der Heiden Heiland’
F Liszt – Fantasia and Fugue on ‘B A C H’
An exhibition exploring the routes, connections and networks in this pipe organ will be on display.
Free event - no need to book. Cake, coffee and tea available from 3:00pm. The concert starts at 4:00pm. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund are welcome.
Please note, this is a change of organist and programme from what is listed in the Heritage Open Days website and local booklet.
2023 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
15, 16 and 17 September 2023 (please note date amendment for one event)
Friday 15 September (this has been changed from 13 September):
Come and Sing with the Willis pipe organ rehearsal
7:00pm-8:30pm
Free event for choral singers who would like to join the church choir for the evening as we rehearse with the Willis Pipe Organ for a Festal Eucharist which will take place the following Sunday morning in St Mary & St Giles church. Jonathan Kingston has chosen Haydn’s Little Organ Mass as the Mass setting and the anthem will be ‘Let all the world in every corner sing’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Please let us know you plan to sing with the church choir to help us ensure we have sufficient copies of the music.
Hands on the Willis!
Saturday 16 September:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ!
10:30am-2:00pm
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ.
Free event - no need to book, just drop in. Cake, coffee and tea available in the Parish Hall. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Hands on the Willis pipe organ
Budding organists and pianists of all ages - please bring your favourite sheet music to try on the pipe organ. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs.
Drop in during this time and let our organ guides give you a close look at the newly-restored Willis Pipe Organ. Put your hands on the keys, feet on the pedals and feel its power for yourself. Players bring some music and we can help you register the organ for you to play it.
An exhibition unwrapping the technical and musical creativity involved in building this pipe organ will be on display.
Jonathan Harris beside the Willis console
Creating Organ Music workshop
A workshop for keyboard, piano and organ players lead by Jonathan Harris.
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (2 hours including a short break for refreshments)
Free event – advance booking required. Cake, coffee and tea available. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Budding organists and pianists of all ages – this is a hands on workshop which will enable to you explore and create music on the pipe organ. It includes a demonstration of the organ, your time at the console with guidance from Jonathan Harris, potential opportunities to play organ duets with other workshop participants and a chance to see inside parts of the organ. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs.
During the workshop, the church will remain open for the public to see the exhibition unwrapping the technical and musical creativity involved in building this pipe organ.
This workshop is limited to 20 pianists, keyboard players and organists of all ages.
Sunday 17 September:
Come and Sing Festal Eucharist with the Willis pipe organ
9:30am-10:45am (9:10am brief warmup for the choir in the Parish Hall)
Free event for choral singers who would like to join the church choir singing with the Willis Pipe organ for a festal Eucharist on Sunday morning in St Mary & St Giles church. Jonathan Kingston has chosen Haydn’s Little Organ Mass as the Mass setting and the anthem will be ‘Let all the world in every corner sing’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams. For further details of the rehearsal the previous Friday evening and the festal Eucharist please see the Music for All @ SMSG website. Please note, this event is part of regular worship in the church.
Pipe organ favourites concert by Jonathan Kingston
3:00pm-4:00pm (refreshments from 2:30pm in the Parish Hall)
Jonathan creates some musical colours with a programme of regularly requested organ works plus some music from the movies.
Free event - no need to book. Cake, coffee and tea available from 2:30pm in the Parish Hall. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Pipe organ concert on the Willis organ by Jonathan Kingston showcasing some organ favourites and requests. The programme will be available nearer the time on the Music for All @ SMSG website.
An exhibition unwrapping the technical and musical creativity involved in building this pipe organ will be on display.
2022 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
Donations are invited and will go towards the Willis organ and its continued upkeep and maintenance.
17 and 18 September 2022
Hands on the Willis!
Saturday 17 September:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ!
10:00am-1:00pm
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ which is 140 years old this year.
Free event - no need to book, just drop in. Cake, coffee and tea as well as soup and bread lunch available. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Budding organists and pianists of all ages - please bring your favourite sheet music to try on the pipe organ. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs.
Drop in during this time and let our organ guides give you a close look at the newly-restored Willis Pipe Organ. Put your hands on the keys, feet on the pedals and feel its power for yourself. Players bring some music and we can help you register the organ for you to play it.
Exhibition of the astounding invention and history of this pipe organ will be on display.
For Heaven's Sake starring Harold Lloyd
Saturday Night at the Silent Movies
An evening of film entertainment with Donald MacKenzie at the console of the Willis organ.
International virtuoso organist Donald MacKenzie improvises a live soundtrack to the 1926 silent movie 'For Heaven's Sake' starring Harold Lloyd.
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Tickets Adults £10, Under 18s Free
Some tickets will be available for sale at the door on a first come first served basis.
Donald MacKenzie at the console
Wine, juice, popcorn and ice cream will also be for sale.
Harold Lloyd stars as the millionaire Uptown Boy J. Harold Manners who accidentally funds a Mission run by Brother Paul after setting fire to a charity coffee cart. Plenty of gags ensue, involving mistaken identity, chases, jewel robbers, kidnap and a wedding. Jobyna Ralston stars as Hope, the pretty Downtown Girl, and daughter of Brother Paul, played by Paul Wiegel.
Sunday 18 September:
Craig Greene
Organ and piano orchestral duets concert
3:00pm-4:00pm (refreshments from 2:30pm)
Enjoy two astounding (and resounding) inventions of the pipe organ and piano in duet!
Free event - no need to book. Cake, coffee and tea available from 2:30pm. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
Orchestral Duets with Jonathan Kingston (organ) and Craig Greene (piano)
Music includes:
- Mozart - Overture to the Magic Flute
- Strauss - Emperor Waltz
- Handel - Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Exhibition of the astounding invention and history of this pipe organ will be on display.
Jonathan Kingston at the Willis console
2021 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
9 and 10 October 2021
Saturday 9 October:
Saturday Night at the Silent Movies
Phantom of the opera 1925 poster
Phantom of the Opera (1925) starring Lon Chaney
Silent Movie with live organ accompaniment by Donald MacKenzie
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Before the movie, Donald played a selection of lighter organ music and gave a personal introduction to the film.
Lon Chaney stars as the deformed phantom who haunts the Paris Opera house and causes death and mayhem in his pursuit of making Christine, the singer he loves, a star. The film also features Mary Philbin as Christine, Norman Kerry as Raoul the man she loves, Virginia Pearson as the singer Carlotta and Arthur Edmund Carewe as Ledoux a secret policeman in the trail of the phantom. A masked ball, a crystal chandelier, catacombs and Lon Chaney's self-devised make-up all add to the atmosphere!
Donald MacKenzie at the console
Tickets Adults £10, Under 18s Free
Some tickets were available for sale at the door on a first come first served basis.
Wine, juice, popcorn and ice cream were for sale.
Sunday 10 October:
Audience requests - free organ concert
Jonathan Kingston plays your favourite music on the Willis pipe organ
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Jonathan introduced each piece of music which audience had suggested before the concert.
2020 Online Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
The 2020 festival was online. It was originally planned for Friday 23 to Sunday 25 OCTOBER 2020 but the face-to-face event was cancelled due to the global pandemic.
Instead, we presented two online events, which were recorded in the church on the Willis organ during October and broadcast via YouTube in November.
Burlesque on Carmen (1915)
Saturday 7 November:
Saturday Night at the Movies
Silent Movies with live organ accompaniment by Donald MacKenzie - Burlesque on Carmen starring Charlie Chaplin (1915)
7:30 pm online premiere
Before the movie, Donald played a selection of lighter organ music and gives a personal introduction to the film.
The event was broadcast on YouTube at https://youtu.be/BC4qBaHaylM
Donald MacKenzie at the console
Saturday 14 November:
The Organ Festival Recital
Jonathan Kingston plays music from the UK, USA, France, Germany and Italy
7:30 pm online premiere
Jonathan introduced each piece of music:
- Processional in A major — David Johnson
- Organ Concerto Op. 4, No. 2 — Handel
- Paean — Philip Moore
- Petit Prelude — Josef Jongen
- Lied — Louis Vierne
- Tiento de Premier tono — Pablo Bruna
- War March of the Priests — Mendelssohn
The event was broadcast on YouTube at https://youtu.be/kcRQbR2Banc
2019 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
We had 3 free daytime events and one evening concert:
Friday 13 September:
Friday Festival Season Opening Organ and Cello lunchtime Concert
Free Friday lunchtime concert with Jonathan Kingston at the Willis console and James Jarvis playing his Rex England Cello.
James Jarvis playing his Rex England cello
Saturday 14 September:
Hands on our Willis! and Willis Pipe Organ Exhibition
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ.
A free exhibition about the Willis Organ.
Saturday Night at the Silent Movies 2019
Saturday 14 September:
Saturday Night at the Movies
Silent Movies with live organ accompaniment - The Wizard of Oz (1925) and Habeas Corpus (Laurel & Hardy). Odeon Leicester Square Organist Donald MacKenzie provided a live soundtrack on the Willis organ.
Sunday 15 September:
Audience requests - free organ concert
Jonathan Kingston played a few of your favourite hymns and songs of praise on the Willis pipe organ.
2018 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
We had 5 free daytime events, one free evening event and one evening concert:
Friday 7 September:
Festival Fanfare! Opening Organ and Trumpet concert Free Friday lunchtime concert with Jonathan Kingston and Nigel Gibbon
Friday 7 September:
Festival Social Evening
A free non-musical social event with food for everyone to enjoy.
Saturday 8 September and Sunday 9 September:
Projected Picture Trust and Willis Pipe Organ Exhibition
A free exhibition about the Silent Movie era by the Projected Picture Trust, with an exhibition and video about the Willis Organ
Saturday 8 September:
Saturday Night at the Movies
Back by popular demand: Silent Movies with live organ accompaniment - A series of comedy shorts starring Monty Banks, Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. Odeon Leicester Square Organist Donald MacKenzie provided a live soundtrack on the Willis organ.
Sunday 9 September:
Hands on our Willis!
Your chance to try playing a wonderfully restored Victorian pipe organ.
Sunday 9 September:
Get to know our Willis Pipe Organ!
‘Father Willis’ was a leading Victorian organ builder, making many innovations in organ technology and sound. In this free one-hour talk, Jonathan Kingston explains how the Willis pipe organ works at St Mary and St Giles, Stony Stratford.
Back by popular demand! A talk at the organ console with excerpts on the organ by Jonathan Kingston, who will explain and demonstrate what the different controls on the console mean. The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs, so this event is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users, who can access the church via the Parish Hall to listen to the organ at other events this weekend and see the exhibition in the Parish Hall. Refreshments will be available. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcomed. Please book ahead as numbers around the console are limited to 30 people.
Sunday 9 September:
Audience requests - free organ concert
Jonathan Kingston plays your favourite music on the Willis pipe organ
2017 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
We had 6 free daytime events and 2 evening concerts:
- Friday night Festival Gala recital by Dr Simon Lindley (Leeds City Organist). Advance booking via the Festival Gala online booking
- 'Sherlock Jr' - Silent Movie with organ accompaniment by Donald MacKenzie on Saturday night. Sherlock Jr online booking
Free daytime events include:
- a free lunchtime organ concert on Friday by Jacob Collins at 12:30 pm
- a free Heritage photo exhibition on Friday and Saturday at 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (with video screening on Saturday at 12 noon)
- Teddy Bears' Picnic with organ on Saturday afternoon (places limited to 60, advance booking preferred). Teddy Bears' Picnic online booking
- Hands on our Willis! on Sunday afternoon
- Get to know our Willis! (places limited to 30, advance booking) on Sunday afternoon. Get to know our Willis! online booking
- An afternoon 'audience requests' organ concert by Jonathan Kingston. Book your request in advance via the website contact form or email your request to events@musicforallsmsg.org of your favourite piece for Jonathan to play.
Online booking opened on 24 June 2017 via the Online Box Office
Seating is limited for some events so book early to avoid disappointment.
Stony Stratford Pipe Organ Festival 2017 A4 flyer
2016 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
The 2016 Willis Pipe Organ Festival ran from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 September, as part of the national Heritage Open Days weekend.
Musical Director: Jonathan Kingston
All events except ‘Family Jam’ were at St Mary and St Giles Church, Church St, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD. ‘Family Jam’ was at St Mary and St Giles School.
Three special evening events
Donald McKenzie
Three very special evening events formed the centre piece of the Festival and demonstrated the versatility and grandeur of our newly restored Willis Pipe Organ:
Friday Night Organ Pops introduced and played by Jonathan Kingston
Popular organ classics with something for everyone! 9 September 7:30 pm
Saturday Night Silent Movie ‘Safety Last!’ accompanied by Donald MacKenzie. 10 September 7:30 pm
International virtuoso concert organist Donald MacKenzie improvised a live soundtrack to Harold Lloyd’s classic 1923 film Safety Last! giving you an authentic Jazz Age experience of this iconic romantic comedy.
This event was promoted by Independent Cinema Milton Keynes
Roger Sayer
Sunday Night Masterworks Recital by Roger Sayer
A blaze of sound filled St Mary and St Giles Church in a recital of masterworks by J S Bach, Jongen, William Lloyd Webber, Alain, Duruflé and Vierne. 11 September 7:30 pm
Five free daytime events – fun for all ages
Jacob Collins
Five free daytime events are designed to help music lovers of all ages to find out more about our wonderful pipe organ.
Friday lunchtime Opening Recital with Jacob Collins
Jacob got the Festival off to a rousing start with an introduced programme of attractive and well known music for organ.
9 September 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Friday afternoon workshop Beginner’s Guide to the Organ for grade 4+ keyboard players who sat at the console and played not just on one keyboard but three keyboards and a full set of foot pedals.
9 September 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Teddy Bears' Picnic with the Willis Organ
Saturday morning workshop Family Jam with pipes and percussion for preschoolers.
10 September 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Saturday afternoon family concert Teddy Bears’ Picnic – an entertaining introduction to the pipe organ for 4-11 year olds.
10 September 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Sunday morning talk with excerpts on the organ Get to know our Willis! by Jonathan Kingston.
11 September 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Drop in to find out more about the organ and church
Drop in and find out more about the newly restored Willis pipe organ in the lovely grade 2* listed church of St Mary and St Giles at the heart of Stony Stratford.
Thursday (11:00 am - 5:00 pm) and Friday (9:00 am - 12.30 pm) the Church Hall was open for a History & Photo Exhibition. A 20 minute video of the organ history and restoration was shown at 11.30 each day. See History & Photo Exibition part 1 and History & Photo Exhibition part 2
Sunday morning service (9:30 am) was open to all and included organ music. The Parish Singers sang the psalm and an anthem with the organ (A New Commandment composed by David Barton).
Sunday afternoon (12:30 pm - 3:30 pm) our organ guides were available for Hands On Our Willis! – your chance to try the organ and find out more about it.
Refreshments were available at all events. All funds raised went towards the maintenance and restoration of the organ.
We enjoyed welcoming you (more than 800 people) during the Willis Pipe Organ Festival!
Music for All @ SMSG Events Team
For all queries, contact us at: events@musicforallsmsg.org
For high resolution photos of our Organ Festival promotion photos please visit the album Willis Pipe Organ Festival on Flickr.
Join our monthly events notification emailing list by filling in the Contact form or send an email to events@musicforallsmsg.org
Restored Willis organ with new casework and golden pipes
