Celebrity Organ Recitals 2024 - Francesca Massey

Francesca Massey - Organ

Franz Liszt Fantasia and Fugue on BACH

J.S.Bach Trio Sonata No 2 in C minor, BWV 526 (Vivace – Largo – Allegro)

Felix Mendelssohn Sonata No 6 in D minor (Chorale and Variations – Fuga – Finale)

César Franck Prélude, Fugue and Variation

Oskar Lindberg Sonata in G minor, Op. 23 (Marcia elegiaca – Adagio – Alla sarabanda – Finale)

Francesca Massey has recently embarked upon an active portfolio career as an organist, choral conductor, examiner and music teacher, having worked as a cathedral musician for 15 years. Born in Birmingham in 1982, Francesca was educated at Cambridge University and the Royal Northern College of Music (on a prestigious ABRSM Scholarship), holding Organ Scholarships at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and Manchester Cathedral. She later became Assistant Organist at Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge, Assistant Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral, Sub-Organist at Durham Cathedral and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral.

At the age of 19, Francesca gained all of the top prizes in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists’ diploma and was subsequently awarded the WT Best Memorial Scholarship and Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, and the Musicians Benevolent Fund’s Ian Fleming Award. Her teachers included Kevin Bowyer, Jeremy Filsell, David Goode and Andrew Fletcher.

Francesca performs regularly as a recitalist throughout the UK and abroad and works as a liturgical organist/conductor in a number of prestigious London churches and chapels. She has four critically-acclaimed solo recordings to her name (Carnival, Bravura, The Forgotten Gem, and The complete works of Maurice Duruflé). Francesca has performed widely as an accompanist (in which capacity she works regularly with The BBC Singers), as well as recording a number of acclaimed CDs with various choirs; Gramophone Magazine describing her as a ‘hugely gifted accompanist.’ Francesca has also worked extensively as a choral conductor (she is the current Musical Director of Cranbrook Choral Society), organ teacher, continuo player, pianist and examiner (including for the RCO’s diploma qualifications).

More information can be found at www.francesca-massey.org

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