Gala Organ Concert – Hereford Cathedral

As the season begins to shift so do the events in our cathedrals … and Hereford Cathedral will welcome back former chorister John Challenger for a very special Gala Organ Concert next week.

Gala Organ Concert, John Challenger – Hereford Cathedral

John will mark the opening of the cathedral’s Space and Other Worlds Season with his transcription of Holst’s The Planets on Tuesday 17 September at 7pm ahead of the cathedral’s first sound and light show, Space by Luxmuralis which will open later in autumn.

John Challenger made the decision to transcribe Holst’s famous orchestral work after being inspired by the tonal possibilities of Salisbury Cathedral’s Father Willis organ where he is assistant director of music.

Working alongside local schools who created poetry to perform alongside the music, John’s initial performance of The Planets at Salisbury Cathedral in 2023 sold out and received rave reviews and now he hopes to bring that alive once more on Hereford’s Willis Organ.

He said:

“Holst was dedicated to improving musical education, so it seems fitting that The Planets has become one of the main ‘classical’ works used to introduce young people to music. 

“It’s a great pleasure to be at Hereford Cathedral performing The Planets on the very beautiful Hereford Willis, the sounds of which were so thrilling to me, and which inspired me as a child myself, to become an organist.’

‘The Hereford Willis possesses a refined delicacy and beauty of tone which, set in Hereford’s generous acoustic, makes the playing of romantic or symphonic styles so enjoyable. 

“It’s therefore a great pleasure to re-imagine Holst’s The Planets on this organ. In this building the music just comes alive, and so I cannot wait to share it with an audience this September.’

Peter Dyke, assistant director of music at Hereford Cathedral, said:

‘We are looking forward to welcoming John back to Hereford. The Planets will sound spectacular on the organ in the cathedral: from the awesome power of Mars to the mystery of faraway Neptune, where a specially-formed choir of upper voices will add further colour to the organ by singing in a distant side chapel. It promises to be an unforgettable evening!’

John Challenger’s performance of The Planets on Tuesday 17 September at 7pm. Tickets for this concert cost £12 (students £5) and are available to purchase through the Cathedral Shop and cathedral website here.

Space by Luxmuralis runs from Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 October from 6.20pm allocated timed ticket slots until 9pm. Tickets cost £9 for adults, £6 for children (3 – 16), with free tickets for under 3s. Tickets and more information here.