Young Wigan organist takes to the console of one of the world's biggest instruments

He had quit his day job to become a freelance musician playing for services and giving lessons – only for the pandemic to strike within weeks and decimate his workload.

But fast-forward to 2024 and he now happily splits his time as operations manager and sub-organist of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, putting him at the manuals and pedals of the largest instrument in the UK, and one of the biggest in the world.

And the Platt Bridge-born 27-year-old’s recent appointment to the loft creates a nice Wigan musical symmetry in the city because, just down the road at Liverpool’s Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, Whitley’s Richard Lea has been resident organist for many years.​

For Alex, who will wed sweetheart Lillian Halewood at his cathedral this July, everything has finally clicked into place after an education and young adulthood that has taken him to many parts of the country.

He said: “I love it here. I have the best of both worlds because as operations manager I get to organise things, which I enjoy, and now I also get to play this fabulous instrument (which will have a UK record 11,000 pipes in it when its restoration is finally finished later this year!).”

The musical trajectory of his career thus far began when Alex was a pupil at Britannia Bridge Primary School, Ince, and it was discovered that he had a good singing voice.

This led to a transfer to Durham Cathedral Choir and School where he was a boarder until 13 when he returned to Wigan to complete his GCSEs at The Deanery High.

A-levels were sat at the acclaimed Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester before enlisting at the Royal College of Music in London, specialising in the organ.

He had been learning the piano from the age of four but says it was while a chorister at Durham that the organ took over as he sang with and listened to this grandest and most versatile of instruments.

When a student in the capital, he was appointed organ scholar at St Mary’s Church, Primrose Hill, then became assistant organist at Bromley Parish Church and finally director of music at St John’s Church in Meopham, Kent.

After graduating he moved to Malvern in Worcester to take up a job with the organ-builder Nicholson (“because I’ve always liked taking things apart and putting them back together again,” he said) and in 2019 he was also appointed director of music at All Saints Church, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.

He said: “When I look back this was a pivotal moment. I had been getting an increasing amount of work playing for services, including weddings, and giving lessons and so I decided to take the plunge and go freelance, handing in my notice at Nicholsons.

"Well the timing was appalling – it couldn’t have been worse.

"No sooner had I embarked on this career change than the pandemic struck and I lost all my work.

"If I’d stayed with Nicholsons I would have been furloughed.

"I stayed down there until 2021 and then decided to come back up north and was able to get a job as a verger at Liverpool Cathedral.

"As far as musical careers were concerned I thought that was pretty much it.

"Once you get out of the loop it’s very difficult to get back into it.

"Ian Tracey (who has been organist of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral for 44 years now) knew of me and encouraged me to keep up the playing, but I had accepted that it was only really going to be a hobby from now on and that the ship had sailed.”

In the meantime Alex was still active in Wigan and two years ago hit the headlines for helping to get bell-ringing going again at the Church of St James with St Thomas in Poolstock – where he was once a chorister – after many years’ absence.

He had learnt that particular craft while at St Botolph Without Aldgate down in London.

But then the sub-organist at Liverpool, Dan Bishop, announced his resignation after 20 years in the post.

Alex said: “I did not think I would have a chance but I went for the job and was surprised and delighted to discover I had got it.

“I play for two services a week (duties are shared between three organists in all) and I am now no longer a verger but the cathedral’s operations manager, dealing with the day-to-day logistics of the place, so I can do that job side by side with the sub-organist one.

"It’s a terrific instrument and one of the rare ones where the original concept of it hasn’t changed despite the overhauls it has had over the years.”

And can he predict further career twists at the moment?

"I don’t know,” said Alex. “At the moment I have found a nice and happy spot.

"I work at the cathedral full time and the music is a nice sideline. It’s a pleasure getting paid for doing something I love.”

And his wedding to fiancée Lillian is something else very much to look forward to.

He said: “The service is going to be at the cathedral in July – which is fabulous. And the choristers say they are very excited about taking part.

"I’ll certainly have to give myself a break from the organ console on that day!”

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