Explore Croydon

Sometimes our intrusive thoughts get the better of us and all we can think when we look at the gigantic pipes on organ is: ‘Could I fit in there?’

In this concert, presenter and organist Anna Lapwood turns our pipe dreams into reality by, quite literally, taking us inside the pipes with her camera, revealing the hidden side of the instrument we never get to see. Performing on Fairfield Hall’s organ, Anna plays Saint-Saëns’ colossal Symphony No.3, nicknamed the ‘organ’ symphony for its fiery showcase of the organ as it depicts the end of the world.

This concert will also include Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. This piece is a lot like a puzzle. It begins with the entire orchestra playing the main theme, showing us the full picture much like the image on the box. The puzzle is then shaken and tipped onto the stage, scattered throughout the different instruments as they work together to put it back together. Bit by bit, each instrumental section plays around with the theme, showing off their different personalities and abilities as they rebuild the music and show us exactly what ingredients make up the orchestral cocktail.