Jennifer Bate Organ Academy

"I attended JBOA (albeit remotely) for the first time in 2021, during the COVID pandemic. My initial worries about meeting everyone on a computer screen were immediately dispelled by the excellence of the tutors and their inspiring masterclasses. I could not wait to get back to JBOA, which I did in person in 2022 and again in 2023. It was wonderful staying at St Catherine's, surrounded by other girls who loved music. Our days were spent in masterclasses, with trips into the surrounding area to play on venerable pipe organs and chat with knowledgeable and delightful tutors. JBOA remains one of the defining experiences in my journey to become an organist. I shall never forget the generous and supportive atmosphere created by expert teachers at the peak of their powers, and the diversity of the subject areas taught, all pertinent and necessary to expanding my understanding of music. I recommend JBOA wholeheartedly and will always think of JBOA with deep affection and gratitude.”

Lizzy Regan, Organ Scholar, Christ's College, Cambridge

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“I first attended the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy back in 2011 when I had only been playing the organ for a year and a half. As a new, rather nervous organist, the course gave me the opportunity to explore my organ playing and conducting with world-class tutors, giving me the confidence to pursue the organ more seriously. Jennifer served as a fantastic role model for female organists both on the course and after it had finished; I know I am not alone in having kept in regular contact with her, and have seen her for several organ lessons since. I have no doubt that the skills developed over two years of attending her Academy were instrumental in me being awarded the Organ Scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, the first female to have attained this position. I would thoroughly recommend this course to any young female organist; whatever your standard, it is not only a valuable musical experience, but an opportunity to make new friends and contacts within the organ world.“

Anna Lapwood, Director of Music, Pembroke College, Cambridge and Former Organ Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford

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“Coming on JBOA gave me a chance to develop new skills and enhance my playing in a friendly, fun, and non-competitive environment. I would highly recommend it to any girl of any standard of playing.”

Imogen Morgan, Assistant Master of the Music, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, Former Jennifer Bate Organ Scholar, St Catherine’s School and Former Organ Scholar, Durham Cathedral and Peterborough Cathedral

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“I attended JBOA three times, in 2006-08. The breadth of skills covered in the course and the supportive, non-competitive atmosphere were a winning combination. JBOA inspired me to pursue an Oxbridge Organ Scholarship, and also helped me to take my first steps with choral directing, which is now a major part of my work. I can't recommend the course highly enough.”

Roxanne Gull, Musical Director of Leicester University Chamber Choir and Former Organ Scholar, Christ's College Cambridge

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“I wanted to thank you so much for allowing my daughter to attend the organ course and for taking such good care of her. She is still telling me about it and how wonderful it was to spend the whole week steeped in music! She came home inspired and made some good friends, too."

Parent of JBOA Participant

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• Jennifer Bate OBE – International recitalist and recording artist – Ensemble Performance and Romantic/Contemporary Repertoire Masterclasses

• Anne Page – Professor of Organ and Harmonium at the Royal Academy of Music – Baroque Repertoire and Harmonium Masterclasses

• Nigel Allcoat – Former Visiting Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music; Former Professor at the Royal Academy of Music; Former Visiting Professor in Dresden and St Petersburg – Improvisation Masterclass

• Thomas Allery – Director of Music at Temple Church, London; Director of Music and Organist at St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside; Teacher of Continuo at the Royal College of Music; Harpsichordist in Ensemble Hesperi – Continuo, Figured Bass, and Ensemble Performance Masterclasses

• Sarah Baldock – Former Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral – Choral Direction Masterclass

• Gerard Brooks – Director of Music at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster; Professor of Organ at the Royal Academy of Music – Improvisation and French Romantic Repertoire Masterclasses

• Terence Charlston – Chair of Historical Keyboard Instruments at the Royal College of Music – Continuo and Figured Bass Masterclasses

• David Davies – Organist of Buckfast Abbey and the University of Exeter – Improvisation Masterclass

• Katherine Dienes-Williams – Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral – Choral Direction and Service Accompaniment Masterclasses

• Stephen Farr – Director of Music at All Saints, Margaret Street – Baroque Repertoire Masterclass

• Steven Grahl – Director of Music of Trinity College, Cambridge – Choral Direction, Service Accompaniment, and Improvisation Masterclasses
• Roxanne Gull – Musical Director of Leicester University Chamber Choir – Choral Direction Masterclass
• Ronny Krippner – Director of Music at Ripon Cathedral – Improvisation Masterclass
• Anne Marsden Thomas MBE – Teacher of Organ at the Royal Academy of Music; Director of Music at St Giles, Cripplegate – Romantic/Contemporary Repertoire Masterclass
• Francesca Massey – Freelance organist; Choral conductor; Former cathedral organist – Choral Conducting and Service Accompaniment Masterclasses
• Joseph McHardy – Director of Music at St Paul’s Girls’ School; Former Director of Music at the Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace – Continuo and Figured Bass Masterclasses
• Geoffrey Morgan – Organist of Christchurch Priory; Former Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey; Former Sub Organist at Guildford Cathedral – Service Accompaniment Masterclass
• Daniel Moult – Head of Organ Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – Baroque Repertoire Masterclass
• Katharine Pardee – Former Betts Fellow in Organ Studies at the University of Oxford and Lecturer and College Advisor in Music at Corpus Christi College, Oxford – Choral Direction and Service Accompaniment Masterclasses
• Margaret Phillips – Former Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music – Baroque Repertoire Masterclass
• Richard Pinel – Director of Music at St Mary’s, Bourne Street – Ensemble Performance Masterclass
• David Shuker – Organ builder; Council Member of the British Institute of Organ Studies; Specialist in Orgelkids presentations – Organ Mechanics Masterclass
• Elizabeth Stratford – Organist and Master of the Choristers of Arundel Cathedral; Director of Salisbury Cathedral Chamber Choir – Romantic/Contemporary Repertoire Masterclass
• Timothy Uglow – Director of Music at Worksop College – Continuo and Figured Bass Masterclasses