2026 Willis Pipe Organ Festival
Donations are invited and will go towards the Willis organ and its continued upkeep and maintenance.
Unfortunately, due to a major fault with the electrical switch for the organ which we are trying to rectify, the organ festival this year is being scaled back because we are not permitted to switch the organ on until it is fixed. It isn't possible to run the popular Hands on event and the Sunday afternoon concert cannot happen. However, the Chamber orchestra concert will go ahead with a change of programme and the Come and Sing Choral Classics will probably have a small time amendment and use the piano and the temporary electronic organ instead. We will also have the exhibition all weekend, as the church will be open. So please come to see the Willis organ and read about it even though you will not be able to hear it play. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing its story.
11, 12 and 13 September 2026
One ticketed event at the start of the Pipe Organ Festival:
Willis Organ and Stony Festival Chamber Orchestra concert
Four free events for your enjoyment over the weekend, part of Heritage Open Days:
Hands on the Willis Pipe Organ! CANCELLED
Come and Sing Choral Classics
Festal Eucharist with choir and the temporary electronic organ
Sunday afternoon pipe organ concert CANCELLED though the church will be open and the exhibition on display
Friday 11 September
Willis Organ and Stony Festival Chamber Orchestra concert
7:30pm-9:30pm
Stony Festival Chamber Orchestra with Catherine Rose conducting and Jacob Collins playing the piano.
Programme to include: G.F. Handel ‘Water Music, Suite 2’, E. Elgar ‘Serenade for Strings’, G. Finzi ‘Eclogue for Piano & Strings’, H. Purcell, arr. Britten - 'Chacony in G Minor', A. Mozart ‘Symphony 28’,
Tickets: £15 adults, £12 concessions, £5 under 18s. Proceeds will be for maintaining the Willis pipe organ. Tickets available at the door (we are not selling tickets in advance).
Saturday 12 September:
Exhibition about the Willis Organ and the everyday histories
10:00am-12:00noon
Hands on the Willis pipe organ
The organ console is in the gallery which is reached by stairs. You are also welcome to have a closer look at the organ if you don’t play a musical instrument; this is your chance to be inquisitive.
An exhibition about this pipe organ and church will be on display. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary year since the restoration of the Willis organ, the everyday histories of this instrument including the ordinary yet extraordinary people who contributed so much to its story will feature in the display.
Choral Classics Come and Sing
Jacob Collins at the Willis console
12 noon-7:00pm (singers please arrive from 12 noon to register and pick up the scores)
Your chance to learn and sing some favourite choral classics and enjoy an early evening free concert.
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.
Free event – advance booking for Choral Classics Come and Sing for the afternoon required so we can ensure sufficient music scores are available. Further details including the repertoire and an advance booking form will be available on the Music for All @ SMSG website from 30th May 2026.
Singers: the afternoon session will end at approximately 5:00pm and there will be an informal free concert at 6:30pm so feel free to bring sandwiches to eat before the concert.
Audience: come to the informal concert at 6:30pm for an early evening treat of choral music.
Cake, coffee and tea available. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund welcome.
During the Choral Classics Come and Sing event, the church will remain open for the public to see the exhibition about the Willis pipe organ and the church which will be on display. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary year since the restoration of the Willis organ, the everyday histories of this instrument including the ordinary yet extraordinary people who contributed so much to its story will feature in the display.
Draft list of choral music we hope to sing on the day:
Schedule for the afternoon:
- 12:00pm Singers arrive and collect musical scores
- 12:30pm-2:00pm Choral singing part 1
- 2:00pm-2:30pm Refreshments and comfort break
- 2:30pm-4:00pm Choral singing part 2
- 4:00pm-4:30pm Break
- 4:30pm-5:30pm Choral Singing part 3
- 5:30pm-6:15pm Break and Audience Arrive
- 6:15pm-7:00pm Informal Concert
- 7:00pm 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. Donations on the day and sponsorship towards the cost of running the event (including fees of professional musicians) are very much appreciated. Please contact us on comesing@musicforallsmsg.org if you are able to help with sponsorship.
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 the Parish of Stony Stratford with Calverton and 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.
Sunday 13 September:
Festal Eucharist with choir
9:30am-10:45am
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. Details of the music to be sung will be shown here from June.
Singers: there will be a rehearsal the previous Wednesday at 7:00pm-8:30pm. If you would like to join the choir for this, please let us know via comesing@musicforallsmsg.org. Jacob Collins directs the music, and accompanies the liturgy. Please note this event is part of the regular worship pattern in the church.
Heritage Open Days Exhibition about the Willis Organ and the every histories
The church will be open on Sunday afternoon as usually and the exhibition will be on display. Donations to the Organ Maintenance Fund are welcome.
You can read about our previous pipe organ festivals (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 which was online, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015).
