Jonathan Bielby, organist emeritus of Wakefield Cathedral, will visit the island tomorrow (Saturday). to give a free concert at St Paul’s Parish Church, Ramsey.

Jonathan is known not only as an organist but also as a choral director and composer.

His musical background includes St John’s College, Cambridge, where he was organ scholar, Manchester Cathedral, as assistant organist, teaching positions at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Manchester School of Music, and latterly as organist and director of Music at Wakefield Cathedral, a position which he held for 40 years before his retirement in 2010.

He is presently acting director of music at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and St Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol.

His concert at St Paul’s will include music from the 1650s, right through to the present day, and this free event will finish with refreshments served in the hall. The organ at St. Paul’s was built for the church by Forster and Andrews in the 1880s, and is a slightly smaller version of their instrument in Trinity Methodist Church, Douglas.

Like the Trinity organ, it has a commanding musical presence, well able to fill the building with its solid, Victorian tone and varied solo stops.

Parking is available around and in front of the church, which is in St. Paul’s Square.

The free concert begins at 3pm.