Digital technology in Leamington church concert

Internationally known church musician Prof Ian Tracey will give a demonstration of the Physis digital organ technology at All Saints’ church in Victoria Terrace on Friday September 23.

Prof Tracey will be playing a huge digital pipe organ which will be set up and displayed in the church’s west end gallery in by Viscount Classical Organs from September 6.

David Mason, the company’s chairman, said: “I will be a bit like a child with my Christmas toy box about to be opened when it gets plugged in on that day.”

The organ will consist of three keyboards with control panels and foot pedals which can play 32 different notes.

The controls will be connected to 32 loud speakers, staked up to ten metres high and hidden behind a life-size stage set which has the appearance of a real pipe organ.

A team of three men will put the rig together.

This will be the first time Viscount has set up a digital organ of this scale in a church.

Mr Mason said: “The church has great space to support it all and we are excited to put it all to good use.

The organ will be set up for three weeks, in which time organ players can come and test the technology.

Viscount’s customers include church’s, concert halls, crematoriums and church musicians who want to practice at home.

Prof Tracey’s concert will include Mozart’s Fantastia in F minor, Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C , William Walton’s Crown Imperial and Max Reger’s Benedictus.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the All Saints’ Restoration Fund.

Mr Mason said: “There is a lot of work that needs doing and we are glad to be able to help the church make a small dent in the amount of money to pay for it.”

Tickets cost £8 on the door.