Organ success for Wrexham student

Churches across Wrexham have joined forces to provide a scholarship for a teenager from the town to learn to play the organ.

Cerys Owen who is 17 and from Coedpoeth is studying weekly at St Giles Church alongside her A-level courses at Coleg Cambria.

Cerys is already an accomplished musician, playing both the piano and the violin, and was selected from a number of applicants for the scholarship.

Her tutor, Chris Pilsbury, the organist at St Giles, said: “The number of organists is declining, yet the repertoire of organ music is probably the largest for any instrument.

“This scholarship will enable us to develop the next generation of organists and ensure the instrument continues to be played in churches and Cathedrals across the country.

“Historically organists were often men and its only in recent years that has changed, and we’ve begun to see woman take up positions as Cathedral Organists.

“We’re delighted that Cerys was selected for the scholarship. She’s already showing huge potential.”

Cerys is studying three A-levels, including music and hopes to go to college or university after to continue her music studies. She played the organ for the first time in public at a Christmas Concert at her local church in Coedpoeth, St Tydfil’s in December.  She said: “Playing the organ is so different to the piano but I’m getting used to it.  With an organ, I have to use my feet as much as my hands and that’s taking some learning but so far, it’s going very well and I’m enjoying it.

“I started playing the piano at the age of seven and took up violin lessons when I was ten.  Now I go to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester every Saturday and hope to follow my dream of working as a musician in the future.”

The Scholarship was financed through the Wrexham Parochial Educational Fund and organised by the Vicar of Rhostyllen, Fr Sam Erlandson, who also plays the organ. He encouraged all the churches in the Wrexham Mission Area to support the scholarship and persuaded the Vicar of Coedpoeth to allow Cerys to practice in her local church.  Sam said: ”When we consider that the majority of children attending principal Sunday services in the Anglican church in Britain are involved in church and cathedral choirs, it is really important that we continue to encourage and nurture a high standard of musical education amongst young people.

“The vast majority of paid professional church musicians are men, so it is such a joy and an achievement that St Asaph is paving a way for professional female church musicians.  Hopefully Cerys and future scholars will take this opportunity to open up doors to a future in church music which enhances so beautifully the church’s worship of Almighty God.”

If you’d like to find out more about playing the organ, visit your nearest Cathedral or large church and speak to the organist or members of the choir.

Cerys’ story featured in Teulu Asaph, the magazine of the Diocese of St Asaph. 6,000 copies are printed quarterly and distributed to the 214 churches across the Diocese of St Asaph.  You can read the magazine in full (and back copies) at https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/category/teulu-asaph/.

The Diocese of St Asaph is one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, an independent Province of the Anglican Communion.  Regular services and activities take place in 214 churches and the diocese looks after 50 Church in Wales Schools.