Francesca Massey

I studied organ under Andrew from 1998 to 2001, during which time I learnt many fundamentals which have since helped to shape my own musical development. The most notable of these was the concept of Baroque articulation. Andrew’s in-depth guidance on this subject has been invaluable to my understanding of Baroque music and particularly changed my approach to playing the music of Bach. Whilst the advice was systematic enough to apply to a number of scenarios, the resulting effect was never ‘dry’ or mechanical, and musicality was always of foremost importance. This applied to all areas of repertoire, in particular locating climax points and areas of interest, and learning how to pace the music around them so that the landscape of the music could be effectively portrayed to the listener. In addition, Andrew worked on areas of technique such as pedalling and fingering, and the rhythmic and strategic pressing of pistons, so that technical failings never hampered the overall musical effect. During my time with Andrew I studied for my ARCO which included all areas of keyboard skills (transposition, improvisation, harmonisation and figured bass) and paperwork (Bach chorale harmonisation, Palestrina counterpoint, Classical string quartets, fugal expositions and analysis). Andrew’s expertise in all these areas helped me to gain a paperwork prize in my ARCO examination! In addition, I held the Organ Scholarship at St Thomas’s Church, Stourbridge (under Andrew’s direction) where he taught me the fundamental skills of Choral accompaniment and direction (ensemble and balance, registration, choral conducting etc), which I now draw upon on a daily basis. The choir’s extensive repertoire allowed me to study and perform many accompaniments which were not often tackled at church level. Above all, I was taught to think beyond the notes and to look to the moods and sentiments inherent in the words of hymns and psalms, so that hymn accompaniment could inspire the singers rather than just support them, and also to give a commanding lead in hymn playing through the study of metrical links between verses. Andrew’s own hymn accompaniments were always extremely colourful and this has had a major influence on the way I now approach hymn playing in my own post (as Assistant Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral). Andrew also helped me prepare for Oxbridge and Cathedral Organ Scholarship auditions, and under his tutelage I was successful in securing scholarships at both St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. I consider myself very fortunate to have studied under Andrew and I am immensely grateful for the wide variety of skills he has taught me, which have undoubtedly helped shape my own career. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him as a teacher to anyone at any stage of their development and experience.