After hosting Alex Woodrow in February for an organ recital we are welcoming him back, alongside his brother for a coffee concert in April. We enjoyed a conversation with him to catch-up on how his return to Bradford went and what to expect from him when he returns in April.
How are things going in your new post at Leeds Minster?
It has been an exciting start, because there’s been a mixture of the familiar and the new, in terms of being back in West Yorkshire. I’ve been getting to grips with the fabulous Harrison organ and trying to remember all the names of the choir members! It has been a very warm welcome indeed and it is just super to be working with Canon Sam Corley again!
You recently played at Bradford Cathedral on an organ recital – how did that go?
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I played a couple of weeks ago and it was super to be back and remind myself what a fine instrument the Bradford organ is! I was made to feel very welcome and the programme went down well. It is so good to see the Wednesday series at Bradford continue to flourish.</span>
Could you tell us about the musical partnership that you’re bringing to our April Coffee <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Concert?
</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">This’ll be me at the piano with my younger brother James who is a violinist based in Manchester; we enjoy playing the occasional recital together, though we do have quite independent musical lives. But it’s good occasionally to be able to collaborate as brothers. There’s a substantial violin sonata by Mozart in the programme, as well as music by two female composers: Clara Schumann, who was of course the wife of Robert Schumann. She was a very fine composer in her own right, though sadly overshadowed by her husband; and Lili Boulanger, who was a turn-of-the-C20th Parisian composer whose music is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Then there are two further pieces, one by Saint-Saëns and the other by Frank Bridge. Those Romantic items should make for quite a contrasted mix alongside the Mozart.</span>
Finally, do you have any further plans as a duo in 2020?
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Not really, as we really tend only to have the time to prepare one programme or so each year! However, we are looking forward to playing very much in April.</span>
Join us for our free Coffee Concert with James and Alex Woodrow on violin and piano on Tuesday 14th April from 11am, with free refreshments available from 10:30am.