Cathedral Organ Scholar Discusses Fundraising Appeal

Published July 2024

Newcastle Cathedral has launched an appeal to raise funds for the enhancement of its organ, aiming to ensure it continues to enrich worship and support the Cathedral’s ongoing development programmes. The Cathedral currently hosts an organ scholar, James Watson, who has just completed his first year as an undergraduate music student at Newcastle University. He is also supported by, and lends his skills at services at St Andrew’s Church on Newgate Street, Newcastle.

In this article, James reflects on his first year in the three-year role and speaks about how central the organ is to the daily life of the Cathedral…

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Q: How did your organ scholarship at Newcastle Cathedral come about?

“I started playing the organ when I was 10 at my local parish church, St Mary’s, Hitchin. Alan Childs, the Director of Music suggested I try the organ since I was already playing the piano at a good standard, so it was the logical next step. In secondary school, I gradually began playing for the school assemblies and chapel services. During lockdown, I started doing lots of online videos for school and the church. After finishing school, I spent my gap year at St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire as the organ scholar, playing about two services a week and also helping with the education and outreach programmes. That experience gave me an insight into how a cathedral operates, and I had access to the organ for lots of practice time.

“In February last year, I was applying to Newcastle University, and I learned the Cathedral was seeking an organ scholar. They arranged an audition, and I got the job. Now, I currently play for about four or five times a week for the Cathedral services and once a week at St Andrew’s on Newgate Street.”

Q: How do you balance your scholarship with your studies?

“Normally, I’m at university in the morning until about 2 or 3pm, then I head to the Cathedral in the afternoon. Newcastle University are very good with allowing me to pursue this scholarship in terms of sometimes changing timings of my seminars and lectures. I stay at the Cathedral until around 7pm, so I manage a good balance between the two. The University are very supportive and understand that this isn’t a typical job and that it’s helping with a lot with my musical development.”

Q: How does a scholarship at Newcastle Cathedral differ from other places?

“The opportunities here are very plentiful with lots of playing, and being the only organ scholar, you get to do it all, whereas in other places, your role might be split between multiple scholars. Newcastle has offered me opportunities not just for playing, but also for conducting or taking some of the children’s rehearsals. Also, here, I get the chance to play 4-6 recitals a year at the Cathedral as part of the recital series, which is something that I did not get in my previous jobs.

“Lots of different people come into the Cathedral, and you often see tourists who say they aren’t normally organ listeners, but they seem to get a lot out of it and appreciate a kind of music they wouldn’t normally listen to. There are also opportunities for singers who aren’t necessarily cathedral goers or cathedral singers. The fact the Cathedral is offering those opportunities is very important.

“The spirit here is also very lively, and we often go to the pub and socialise after Evensong. It really does feel like a community here.”

Q: What have been some of your most memorable experiences so far?

“The weekend of the 22/23 of June was pretty memorable. Kris [the Assistant Director of Music] was away for the weekend, so I ended up playing for both the Alumni services and also the service celebrating 30 years of women as priests, as well as a recital the next day. It was a big weekend, but I got lots of really positive comments. I normally play at Evensong when the main Cathedral Choir aren’t in residence. So, experiencing a Sunday during term time was very different.”

Q: What has been your experience of the Monday organ recitals?

“I perform fairly regularly in the series, usually during half term. It has been great to have the recitals as a way of learning new repertoire for these performances and it makes a difference to the evensongs. My next recital is coming up in late August and I often find setting myself challenging repertoire makes me concentrate on focusing on these pieces, such as Widor’s Finale from his 6th Symphony. Doing these 40-minute recitals helps me develop and I try to challenge myself with some pieces that the audience might not be so familiar with.”

Q: How do you decide what pieces you’re going to play?

“I consider whether there’s a Festival or the season of the church’s year, like Lent. During Ordinary Time, there’s a lot more scope and flexibility – for example, I did an all-French recital the other week. I always try to find themes and links between pieces, while also ensuring each programme is very different from the last.”

Q: How have you grown and developed through your scholarship so far?

“It’s been really useful for my development as a cathedral musician. I’ve had the opportunity to conduct some of the choirs and even taken some of the rehearsals with the choristers, which has given me experience in leading and planning. And then, there’s all the special occasions like [the Evensong service that was supported by the Cathedral Music Trust and attended by] Alexander Armstrong and the Royal Visit, which gave me insight into all the planning that goes into it, such as coordinating with the choristers who are from all over Newcastle.”

Q: How central do you feel the organ is to the Cathedral’s musical life?

“The organ is very important, because as well as the services that we do every week, there’s all the extra things that happen – there’s Monday recitals and also services like the ordinations. The planned rebuild will make it so much more versatile, allowing us to use the organ for even more events, and to boost the support of the choir. The aim is to create an organ that is less temperamental, that has a better sound and attracts even more visiting organists.”

Q: What are your ambitions for your future career and your time at the Cathedral?

“In the next two years, I really want to refine my skills as an accompanist and recitalist. Then, hopefully, I’m going to do a postgraduate scholarship at another cathedral to get more experience. I’d like to continue playing the organ at cathedrals and would be very happy to go where the job as an organist takes me.”

Q: How do you find studying in the city of Newcastle?

“Newcastle is an excellent base with loads of different churches and a supportive community of organists. I play at St Andrew’s on Sundays and for special services, such as during Holy Week. The city’s transport links to Edinburgh, Durham, and York make it really appealing. Newcastle is well-positioned to be a prominent centre for cathedral music.”