Music in Lyme

PipeUp is a scheme administered through the Diocese to subsidise organ teaching across a large geographical area, spanning from Lyme Regis in the south of the diocese almost to Swindon in the north. There are several teachers in the scheme and Dr Richard Godfrey is the teacher within this area.  

The time and enthusiasm put into teaching these students by Dr Godfrey shone through each performance. All seven students have worked hard over the years to reach their individual standard; with a number of them having achieved such a high level that they play the organ during the Sunday Church Services in their local churches.  

The talented young people who performed were: 

Ross Long (aged 17)   

Ezra Jefferies (aged 10)  

Maja Palka (aged 14)  

Oriel Chapman (aged 14)  

Billy Stuttaford (aged 13)    

Medwin Stephen (aged 16)  

William Bishop (aged 17) 

The concert was beautifully put together with an interlude from Ravel’s Mother Goose suite (Piano duet – Oriel and Dr Godfrey), Beauty and the Beast and The Enchanted Garden.  

It was a fantastic concert in which the young students were given the opportunity to demonstrate what they were each capable of playing. Dr Godfrey has done an amazing job in inspiring and teaching these young people so well. He said:  

"I decided to teach the organ after retiring from a hospital consultancy and I find it very fulfilling. This is especially the case when students make rapid strides and begin to inject their own innate musicianship into performances such as we heard in the concert." 

The students will be performing a very similar programme at 3pm, on Saturday 6th November in St Swithun’s Church, Allington, Bridport.  

You can read the full story here.