July is Wurlitzer month! Every Wednesday lunchtime throughout July you can come and enjoy a FREE Wurlitzer concert in the Villa Arcade! The popular Wurlitzer concerts return on a Wednesday throughout July at 1pm. The schedule is as follows:

Keith Simpson - 7th July
Margaret Cubbon - 14th July
John Riley & Peter Litman - 21st July
Sarah Goldsmith - 28th July

The development of our long running Summer Music Series is a great opportunity for the whole community to enjoy the arts in an iconic venue situated in the very heart of the Cultural Area, and we will continue to bring new ideas and artists to the programme.

Jane Corkill, Arts Development Manager

We spoke to Keith Simpson about what the Wurlitzer means to him.

Q. What is your background in music

I studied classical organ  with Professor Ian Tracey of Liverpool cathedral and with Roger Fisher at Chester cathedral.  During this time I was also having lessons in theatre organ with Charles Smitton, who was the BBC organist.  I received a B.A. (Hons) in music at what became Liverpool JMU university.  I moved to the Isle of Man in 1992 and live just 5 minutes walk from the Villa Arcade.

Q. The ‘Mighty Wurlitzer’ can be considered a rare and unique instrument with a distinct sound with the island boasting its very own situated at the Villa Marina Arcade. What does the Wurlitzer mean to you?

It is indeed rare to find a largely original fully operative Wurlitzer organ, and we are lucky in the IOM to have such a superb instrument.

Q. What can you tell us about the Isle of Man Wurlitzer, what is unique and special about it?

All the information about the Wurlitzer can be found on the Villa Gaiety website:

https://www.villagaiety.com/about-us/wurlitzer/

Q. How did you come to be a Wurlitzer player? What opportunities did you have to learn this instrument growing up?

During my teen years I was very focused on church organ playing, and became a church organist by the age of 15.  I never played a Wurlitzer until a few years ago.

Q. How does the Wurlitzer compare to other instruments you’ve played?  

Playing church organ or theatre organ is very similar in terms of the skills needed for keyboards and pedals, and the main difference is in the type of music being played:  Theatre organ music can encompass genres of music (like music from shows) that would not normally be performed in churches.

Q. You are part of the annual Wurlitzer series of concerts which take place each summer in the Villa Marina Arcade. What has your experience been to play in this venue, what are the acoustics like, the ambience etc?

The location of the organ in the Arcade is superb for acoustics and the size of the room, which is large enough to accommodate our audiences.  It is just a pity that there are no sun blinds, as it can sometimes become like a very hot greenhouse in the summer with the sun shining brightly through the  glass roof.

Q. Last year, the Summer Music Season couldn’t take place due to Covid19. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a musician since the global pandemic and how have you adjusted your plans in light of this?

Last year we fully accepted and understood the decision to cancel concerts due to covid.  This year was a bit more tricky: Decisions had to be made in the light of ever-changing travel restrictions and quarantine rules.  I decided that we should offer up local organists this year for just four concerts on Wednesdays during July.  We hope that next year we can once again invite Phil Kelsall (from Blackpool Tower) across, and hopefully some UK semi-professional theatre organists too, like we had in 2019, when we had 12 concerts.  All the organists have different styles of playing, so the concerts can be very varied.

Q. What would be your advice to anyone interested in learning the Wurlitzer?

It would be usual to start with piano, then progress to church organ, especially as there are so many church organs on the Island available for practice, then if you are lucky enough to have a home electronic organ, you can eventually transfer your skills very easily to theatre organ playing, and hopefully one day join our team of Wurlitzer organists!

Q. What is your hope for the future of the Wurlitzer?

I hope we can look forward to more concerts with even more  organists in the future.  I have often wondered whether an occasional afternoon tea in the Villa Arcade with the Wurlitzer playing might sometimes be organised in conjunction with the Villa Café.  It would also be interesting to receive some feedback from audiences as to whether or not a different day or time for concerts would work better for them.  I also hope that Phil Kelsall will continue to come over from Blackpool to entertain us each year as I really do  think he is one of the very best theatre organists in the UK, if not the world! 

Wurlitzer concerts take place at 1pm every Wednesday throughout July in the Villa Marina Arcade. This is a free event.