Charles Francis Recital

This Wednesday is the last chance to hear Charles before he heads off to the USA.

We hope that you are able to be there

Charles Francis  Assistant Director of Music, St Peter’s Collegiate Church

Wolverhampton

Admission by programme on the door £12,

Friends of the Music members £8, Children Free.

Programme

Präludium und Fuge über B-A-C-H- Liszt

Trio super: Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 655- Bach

11 Grands Préludes, Op. 66 – Alkan     

     1.     Allegro

     3.     Andantino

     10.   Scherzando

Fantasie en La (from Trois Pièces pour Grand Orgue)- Franck

Pastorale- Roger-Ducasse

Allegro Deciso (from Evocation, Op. 37)- Dupré

Biography

 Charles Francis is a young organist with a growing reputation across the UK. His playing has earned him various accolades, including First Prizes in both the IAO/RCO Organ Playing Competition (2022), the Dame Gillian Weir Messiaen Competition (2019) as well as being awarded the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians (2022). Recent engagements include solo recitals at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and St John’s, Smith Square in London as well as St John’s College, Cambridge, Colchester Town Hall and numerous cathedrals including Llandaff, Worcester and Truro. 

 Charles undertook undergraduate studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where his organ tutors included Daniel Moult and Nicholas Wearne as well as regular opportunities to study with Prof. Martin Schmeding (Visiting Professor). Charles is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) and works as Assistant Director of Music at St Peter’s Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton. A highlight of his time there was recording a service of Choral Evensong which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3, the first in that choir’s history. Before this, Charles spent two years as Organ Scholar at St Philip’s Cathedral, Birmingham.

 Before moving to Birmingham, Charles was fortunate to be Organ Scholar at Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone; St Mary-the-Virgin, Dover as well as St Edmund’s School, Canterbury. It was his time at the latter which offered the opportunity to regularly play at Canterbury Cathedral, where he still occasionally deputises, and Rochester Cathedral. During this time he studied the organ with Adrian Bawtree and Ben Saul. 

 From September 2023, Charles will continue his organ studies on a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York in the class of Prof. Nathan Laube. He is grateful for the generosity of the Eric Thompson Charitable Trust, the Kent County Organists’ Association and the Friends of the Music of Holy Trinity, Folkestone in their support toward his future studies.”