Choir of Leeds Minster

25/06/2026

The Hiking Organist: in the Choral Scholars' Own Words

Dan is a Postgraduate Tenor Choral Scholar here at Leeds Minster. He is studying for a Masters in Musical Direction at Leeds Conservatoire.

“Having experienced being a choral scholar at my undergraduate university, finding somewhere to fill the choral void as part of my return to higher education was a top priority for me. The Choral Scholarship at Leeds Minster has gone above and beyond filling this void. The choir’s musical standards are incredibly high under Alex’s leadership and continually challenge me as a choral singer in new and exciting ways, through the wide range of choral repertoire that the choir tackles. On top of the high-level musicianship, the choir also fosters a wonderful sense of community that encompasses all the scholars and volunteers. Whilst I will only be a Choral Scholar for the remainder of this academic year, my experience at the Minster has made me incredibly keen to continue singing as a volunteer.”

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25/06/2026

ORGAN RECITAL by MATTHEW LAZENBY
(St Hilda's, Leeds; and St Austin's Wakefield)
Friday 26th June, 1.00pm - 1.45pm
Admission free, with retiring collection. All welcome.

Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Choral “Nun Danket Alle Gott”
J.S Bach (1685-1750): Liebster Jesu, Wir Sind Hier (BWV 731)
Jan Zwart (1877-1937): Toccata Psalm 146
Percy Whitlock (1903-1943): Fidelis
Théodore Dubois: Grand Chœur (No. 12 from Douze Pièces Pour Orgue)
Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene: Prayer to the Sun (Op. 26)
Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély (1817-1869): Boléro de Concert

Matthew Lazenby was born in York and read music at the University of Leeds. His career as an organist began at the age of fourteen, when he was introduced to the historic Carolus Allen organ in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Scarthingwell, North Yorkshire, and subsequently appointed as Organist there. He studied the organ with Geoffrey Pearce, Richard McVeigh and David Houlder.

Matthew now enjoys a diverse musical career as an Organist, Choral Conductor, Accompanist and Teacher. He is presently Director of Music at St Hilda’s Church in Leeds and Organist of St Austin’s RC Church in Wakefield. He has a particular interest in worship and music in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, especially in an inner-city context, and is passionate about bringing music to more deprived parishes in which resources are less lavishly available. The Pusey Consort, which Matthew founded in 2018, is a liturgical chamber choir based at St Hilda's that sings Evensong and Benediction each month in a variety of churches in the region in addition to undertaking cathedral residencies.

Matthew is Principal Accompanist for the acclaimed Heritage Masterworks Chorale. In this capacity, he has accompanied tours to Ghent, Paris, Venice, Vaduz, Prague, Riga and, most recently, Vilnius. In 2019, Matthew lived in Paris. Here, he sang weekly at St George's Anglican Church and in the iconic Eglise Saint-Sulpice, where he also sometimes accompanied the choir on the organ during the liturgy. Matthew took up a music teaching post at Harrogate Ladies' College in 2024 and regularly accompanies the choirs there, most recently in a private performance for His Majesty the King.

Matthew has been Musical Director of Horsforth Choral Society since 2016, whose recent performances have included Puccini's Messa di Gloria, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Andrew Carter's Benedicite.

Outside of music, Matthew is a published author. His first book, The Pitfalls of Being a House Guest, was released in 2024.

25/06/2026

The Minster is a cool haven of peace and tranquillity: why not step out of the city's blazing heat awhile, and hear some glorious early music tonight at Choral Evensong?

Thursday 25th June
7.00pm Choral Evensong (a ca****la)
Responses: Byrd
Psalm 78: 40 – end
Canticles: Dorian Service | Tallis
Anthem: Thou knowest Lord | Purcell

23/06/2026

The Hiking Organist: in the Choral Scholars' Own Words

John studies Music at the University of Leeds, and has been a Tenor Choral Scholar at Leeds Minster since September 2024, alongside singing with the National Youth Choir and many other ensembles.

Hear him talk about the richness of the Minster Choir's repertoire, as well as about his experiences of singing in other sacred and acoustical spaces with the choir as part of the Music Department's outreach.

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Support the journey. Inspire the future.

20/06/2026

Choral Services on Sunday 21st June

10.30am Choral Eucharist
Communion Service in F | Darke
Psalm: 86: 1-10
Greater Love | Ireland
Grand choeur dialogue | Gigout

5.30pm Choral Evensong
Byrd Responses
Psalm 46
Short Service | Gibbons
Give almes of thy goods | Tye
Voluntary in D | Blow & Purcell

19/06/2026

The Hiking Organist

Our recital posters for the seven organ concerts are now with the church communities where Alex will be performing as part of his Hiking Organist challenge!

The Launch Recital at 5.30pm on Sunday 19th July at Leeds Minster will feature four masterpieces: J. S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue in E minor (BWV 548), Cesar Franck's Fantaisie in C major, Felix Mendelssohn's Sixth Organ Sonata, and C H H Parry's Fantasia and Fugue in G.

The six recitals along the route (Wetherby, Heslington, Sand Hutton, Malton, Thornton-le-Dale and Scarborough) will take the same format (there being a finite limit on how much organ music Alex can carry with him on his hike...!), all beginning with the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach, and concluding with Widor's brilliant toccata from the Fifth Symphony, with many tuneful delights in between!

All the recitals are free to attend, with retiring collections invited, and with refreshments available following the performance. We very much hope you can join Alex at one of the venues along his route this July!

We are indebted to Niamh Bell for her wonderful work in creating our imagery and publicity. Thank you, Niamh!

Support the journey here:
justgiving.com/page/thehikingorganist
Support the journey. Inspire the future.

19/06/2026

The Hiking Organist

Thank you to Yorkshire Evening Post for sharing details of our Director of Music's summer hiking and performing challenge!

Support the journey here:
justgiving.com/page/thehikingorganist
Support the journey. Inspire the future.

Leeds Minster music director to walk 104 miles across Yorkshire for 'The Hiking Organist' challenge

17/06/2026

LUNCHTIME ORGAN MUSIC
JOHN PENNINGTON (Fleetwood Parish Church)
Friday 19th June, 1.00pm - 1.45pm.
Admission free, with retiring collection.
All welcome.

John will perform a programme inspired by hymns.
Songs Of Praise | Herbert Chappell
Partita (Grosser Gott) | Grayston Ives
In Memoriam (Titanic) | Joseph Bonnet
Flourish on ‘Rendez a Dieu’ | John Pennington
Variations on ‘Amazing Grace’ | Denis Bédard

John Pennington studied organ with Ian Hare then continued with Nicholas Danby at the Royal College of Music, earning a BMus (Hons) and multiple diplomas including ALCM, ARCM, ARCO, and DipRCM. He received the Geoffrey Tankard Prize for organ playing and an early music prize for clavichord technique. He later completed a PGCE at the London Institute of Education.

John began his professional career as Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Worth Abbey School, West Sussex and then at St. Peter's School, York. He became Director of Music at King Edward and Queen Mary School, Lytham St. Anne’s from 2006-2012 before being appointed Director of Music at The King's School, Gloucester (The Cathedral School).

After thirteen years at King's, John retired in August 2025 and returned to the Fylde Coast to pursue freelance work as a musician, organist and composer. Alongside his teaching commitments, John has served as Choir Director and Organist at churches across London, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Lancashire and is Organist at St. Peter’s Church, Fleetwood.

17/06/2026

Thursday 18th June

1.00pm - 1.45pm Lunchtime Music at St John's Church, Briggate, Leeds. John Longstaff and Alexander Woodrow (piano duet), performing music by Schubert, Poulenc and Dvorak. Free admission.

7.00pm Choral Evensong at Leeds Minster
Responses: Ayleward
Psalm: 62
The Short Service | Ayleward
Peace I leave with you | Beach
Voluntary in D minor (Allegro) | Stanley

16/06/2026

We are partnering with the Churches Conservation Trust and Lighthouse West Yorkshire this summer, to bring enjoyable, free chamber music to the beautiful Jacobean church of St. John's, Briggate.

Our second recital in the series is a recital of music for piano duet, performed by John Longstaff and Alexander Woodrow. Admission at St John's is free, with a retiring collection at the end of the performance. All are most welcome.

Programme:
Schubert: Fantasia in F minor D940 | Schubert
Poulenc: Sonata for piano (four hands) | Poulenc
Slavonic Dances op. 46, numbers 7, and 8 | Dvořák