Peter Shepherd (Chesterfield Parish Church)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Fugue on the Magnificat, BWV 733
Edward Elgar: Sonata in G (Allegro Maestoso, Allegretto, Andante espressivo, Presto comodo)
Joseph Bonnet: Elves
Théodore Dubois: Verset de Procession
Edvard Grieg (arr. Shepherd): From Holberg’s Time (Air, Gavotte, Rigaudon)

Peter Shepherd begins with Bach in “religious” mode, but this takes the form of a lively fugue in which the pedal entry is delayed, and when it arrives is sonorous, “for he that is mighty hath magnified me”, This is followed by a piece just made for the Binns organ, Elgar’s organ sonata, with its quintessentially Elgarian first movement, two central movements showing Elgar in lighter mood, and then a scampering finale, Mendelssohnian in places. And the spirit of Mendelssohn also inhabits Bonnet’s Elves, while Théodore Dubois then takes us back into church. Finally another reminder of one of the purposes the Binns organ was built for: transcriptions of orchestral works. We are to hear three movements from Grieg’s Holberg Suite.
The concert runs from 1.10pm to 1.55pm. Admission £5 at the door, or book online. Feel free to bring your own lunch.
Peter Shepherd is an organist and pianist, currently working at Chesterfield Parish Church as Organist and Choirmaster. He has experience in playing classical, jazz and pop music and has been playing keyboard instruments for over 20 years.
Prior to moving to Derbyshire, he was Assistant Organist at Paisley Abbey, where he was also regularly in demand both as an accompanist and recitalist. From 2016-17 Peter was the organist-in-residence at St Mark’s English Church in Florence. As a student he was organ scholar at Merton College Oxford. He became an FRCO in 2014, as well as also gaining the LRSM with distinction on the piano in the same year.
He has performed extensively as an accompanist and recital organist. He has played continuo for the London Mozart Players, Oxford Baroque and Opera Dei Lumi. He has studied organ with William Whitehead, James Parsons and Christopher Allsop, and has had piano instruction from Leslie Howard and Malcolm Martineau. Peter also composes, and has written music for choir, solo piano and organ and chamber ensembles, as well as a stage musical.