Paul Carr
@organistpaul
Organist | Recitalist | Choral Director | Accompanist | Birmingham UK | paulcarr.co.uk
Really looking forward to hearing Mélodie Michel in concert for the second time this week. Stunningly good playing. This time we’re at Victoria Hall Hanley, Stoke-on -Trent.
The new Ruffatti organ in Pershore Abbey is well worth hearing. Full of colour and character and an instrument which, though not huge, handles the repertoire brilliantly and effortlessly fills this glorious building with sound - the mobile console means you can watch the player too! Sun 9 Aug 2:00pm
Back in lovely North Wales thoroughly enjoying both the seaside and getting to know the organ of St Asaph Cathedral preparing for Wednesday evening’s organ recital.
Enjoyed playing for the weekend services at Tewkesbury Abbey accompanying visiting choir Priory Voices.
Enjoyed an afternoon rehearsing for tomorrow’s organ recital at Wesley Church Centre Chester. The JJ Binns organ is very fine with a wealth of warm colours to choose from. Music by Berlioz, Bach, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, and more! 12:45pm Saturday 20 June 2026
Bournville Lunchtime Concerts at Bournville Friends Meeting House. Tomorrow, 5 June 2026 at 1:00pm. Music by Handel, Bach, Meyerbeer, Gárdonyi, Ad Wammes, Jongen and Saint-Saëns. A programme with variety and many beautiful melodies on the exquisitely-voiced Harrison & Harrison organ. Admission free.
Enjoying a day playing the Marcussen organ at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester for the @openuniversity.bsky.social degree ceremonies. #oufamily Music by Handel, Bach, Smart, Vierne, Gigout, Spicer and Powell/Lapwood…
This Saturday, 23 May 2026 at 3:00pm I shall be playing an organ recital in the historic Holdich organ in Hinckley United Reformed Church, Leicestershire. Admission £5 Programme details below:
Ready for today’s lunchtime @thursdaylive.org organ recital in @stchadsbirm.bsky.social St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. Music by Paul Spicer, David Briggs, Paul Ayres, Naji Hakim and Zsolt Gárdonyi. @rcbirmingham.bsky.social
Busy afternoon preparing registrations on the iconic Walker organ in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral ready for the weekend here with City of Birmingham Choir.
The Walker organ in @stchadsbirm.bsky.social St Chad’s Cathedral Birmingham after yesterday evening’s rehearsal for today’s @thursdaylive.org organ recital. Come and hear this wonderful instrument at 1:15pm today - Thursday 9 April 2026. Admission free, thursdaylive.org
5/5 And of course the Walker organ, kept perfectly in tune by Jonathan Thorne, has always been a favourite of mine and the sounds it produces make the hours of practice totally worth it! Happy Easter everyone ⛪️
3/5 Vierne’s Messe Solennelle at the Easter Vigil was particularly memorable, having two organs and two organists as Vierne intended. I’ve only ever played this liturgically with two organs once before (in 2010 at Birmingham Oratory)
2/5 The choir, under David Saints’s masterful direction, sounded phenomenal and dispatched some really challenging repertoire with cool professionalism.
1/5 After a very busy few weeks, it’s good to have today off to reflect - particularly on the last few days where along with David Saint and the choir it has been a joy to serve the liturgy through music at @stchadsbirm.bsky.social, with many hundreds of people attending. @rcbirmingham.bsky.social
After a couple of days sitting in silence, with the little chamber organ being used for giving notes and any gentle congregational singing support during a period of unaccompanied music, the Walker organ will burst into life at the Gloria during this evening’s Easter Vigil. @stchadsbirm.bsky.social
Playing for The Chrism Mass this morning in St Chad’s Cathedral @stchadsbirm.bsky.social with the wonderful choir (directed by David Saint) in the organ loft with me as the Cathedral will be so full downstairs! @rcbirmingham.bsky.social
Two concerts this weekend: ‘To the Moon…and Bach!’ @sellyparksingers.co.uk on Saturday 28/3/26 at 3pm in Christ Church Selly Park, and the final ‘Bach@Bart’s’ Organ Recital on Sunday 29/3/26 at 6:30pm in St Bart's Church Penn. @classicalevents.bsky.social, paulcarr.co.uk or sellyparksingers.co.uk.
Two concerts: Cantoras Upper Voices Chamber Choir of Kim André Arnesen’s Stabat Mater at St Peter's Church Wolverhampton on Sat 21 March at 7:30pm. Bach@Bart’s Organ Recital at St Bart's Church Penn, on Sunday 22 March at 6:30pm; Trio Sonata 5 and the ‘Wedge’ Prelude and Fugue in E minor. Details ⬇️
We’re half way through Bach@Bart’s 2026. This coming Sunday’s programme (15 March 2026) begins with the ‘Dorian’ Toccata and Fugue and finishes with the ‘Great’ Prelude and Fugue in G. Between these Trio Sonata no 4 in E minor. Admission free with a collection towards St Bart’s Choir Tour funds.
Returning to St Benedict Parish Church Wombourne on Saturday (7 March) at 7:30pm to play an organ concert on their new digital organ. Music by Handel, Bach, Clarke, Gowers, Spicer, Holst, Strauss II, Saint-Saëns, Gárdonyi, Rachmaninov, Vierne. Enjoyed rehearsal yesterday. See below for ticket info.
Feast of St Chad today, so the perfect moment to play Paul Spicer’s Fanfares for Chad at the end of the 12:15pm sung Mass in @stchadsbirm.bsky.social The fanfare element is a dark-hued dance mirroring the dark uncivilised part of the country to which 7th-century bishop Chad came as a missionary.
Very satisfying to receive the usual warm welcome at Christchurch Priory yesterday. It was a lovely large audience, some of whom were very near the console sitting behind me in the north transept; the ongoing work on the nave floor meant a different seating configuration and console position.
Early evening rehearsal yesterday in Christchurch Priory preparing for today’s recital (12:30 Thur 12 Feb ‘26). The console, and the audience, in a completely different position due to some extensive work to the nave floor. A new aural perspective on this familiar instrument has been fascinating…
Heading to Dorset this week to reacquaint myself with the organ in #Christchurch Priory. I’ll be playing the lunchtime concert at 12:30pm on Thurs 12 Feb 2026. Music by Paul Spicer - this year’s recipient of the @rcorganists.bsky.social medal - Gárdonyi, Elgar, Meyerbeer, Ireland, Harris & Lemare.
Looking forward to playing the first of 2026’s @thursdaylive.org recitals @stchadsbirm.bsky.social, Birmingham tomorrow, Thurs 8 Jan 1:15 pm. Bach Trio Sonata, Mendelssohn Prelude & Fugue, works by Paul Spicer, Philip Glass & transcriptions by Meyerbeer, Berlioz, and Holst too. thursdaylive.org 
