Sunderland Theatre Organ Preservation Society
Caring for the John Compton (3/9) organ. Ex Black's Regal / Odeon cinema and now housed in Ryhope Community Centre Sunderland SR2 0RX. 

If you live in the North East of England please try and attend our concerts to ensure the survival of this magnificent instrument.

Next concert...

Sunday 17th June 2018 at 2.30pm... Adrian Rose.

We welcome Adrian to the console and expect a wide range of music encompassing all genres. He was interested in music from an early age and in particular the piano and organ. He also plays in a number of bands, as he has done for the past forty years. Living in Southport he is chairman of the Southport Organ Club. He has a special fondness for the Hammond and Yamaha instruments which he often takes with him to concerts. He is well known on the countrywide organ circuit and in his own words has "played in many upmarket venues including the Brittany Ferries". We are assured of an excellent concert to suit all musical tastes...not to be missed.

Adrian Rose (L) with Paul Roberts (NW)

Reviews of our recent concerts...

Sunday 15th April...Howard Beaumont 

Howard at console 15-04-2018 (NW)

Howard Beaumont played for our April concert and we were pleased to see him once again at the console. He has now completed 30 seasons at the famous Scarborough Spa complex where he plays for coffee dances and afternoon concerts in the sun court. Howard was a founder member of this Society and helped in no small part to purchase the John Compton (3/9) organ and secure its future when the Sunderland Odeon cinema went over to Top Rank "Bingo" in 1982 requiring the organ to be removed. Howard was born in Halifax and took a keen interest in the piano from age 7 years. A natural progression to the organ followed, and he took particular interest in the theatre pipe organ after hearing the mighty WurliTzer housed in the Radio City Music Hall,  New York city. Howard has been a demonstrator of electronic organs for various companies and has also entertained on luxury cruise liners. He is a popular organist on the nationwide concert circuit and has played the WuliTzer in the Tower Ballroom at Blackpool. He opened with his signature tune "Best of Times" and followed with a selection of music associated with Fred Astaire including "Flying down to Rio". He spoke about life in Scarborough and how he is looking forward to his 31st season at the Spa complex. Next piece was Vittorio Monti's "Czardas" followed by "Impossible Dream"(The man from La Mancha), and the novelty piece "Grasshoppers Dance". Howard recreated some splendid Hammond organ sounds on the Compton and concluded the first half with a selection from "Phantom of the Opera". Part two and we heard the RAF march past, and Howard turned to his Casio keyboard for another genre. He amused us with the piano style of Les Dawson and then played "Bridge over troubled water" and "Caribbean clipper". We then enjoyed "Mood indigo",  the theme from "Ladies in Lavender", a classical selection from Smetana,  and finally a good mix of tunes from the 1950's and 60's. It had been a memorable concert with music to please everyone I'm sure.

Sunday 18th February... Cameron Lloyd

Always smiling ...Cameron at the Ryhope Compton. (NW)

Another splendid concert with Cameron. (NW)

We gave a warm welcome to Cameron Lloyd who made a return visit to play the Ryhope Compton on Sunday 18th February. Cameron was born in 1980 and was interested in music and the organ from an early age. He was captivated by the sound of the WurliTzer in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom at the age of 12 years, and in 1999 he got the oportunity to play it. Guided by the fondly remembered Steve Tovey (Wolverhampton City Organist) he developed his unique style and became a popular organist on the UK concert circuit. Starting the concert with his signature tune "Beyond the blue horizon" a rousing rendition of "Blaze away" followed. We were invited to dance with a selection of slow foxtrots including "Once in a while" and tunes from the screen & shows followed. Cameron is a great aficionado for the playing of the late Reg Dixon and he played a musical tribute in the "Blackpool" style including "Somebody stole my girl" and of course "Tiger rag". In the second half, we enjoyed a medley of Rumbas including "Quando, quando" more tunes from popular musicals, and some more in "ragtime" including "12th street rag". Cameron gave us a few encores as you would expect and all agreed it had been a memorable and lively concert.

Organist programme for the remainder of 2018...

(All concerts start at 2.30pm)

Sunday 19th August...Stephen Austin.

Stephen at the Ryhope Compton console. (NW)

Sunday 21st October...Andrew Nix.

Andrew Nix entertains at the Compton. (NW)

Sunday 9th December...David Ivory.

David tells a few...

David Ivory for our Christmas Concert.

From the archives...

Odeon Saturday morning club fancy dress competition in 1957 (Veronica Miles)

Organ removal on its trolley at the Odeon 1982 (DW)

Fitting the pipework on reinstallation at Ryhope.

Pipe work cleaning, repair and refurbishment in 2010 with Ian Parsons and Joe Marsh.

posted by Neville
email... ryhopecomptonorgan@gmail.com
members afternoons second & forth Sundays 1.30-3.30pm
Come and listen to, or play the Compton Organ. Use email address to confirm these arrangements.