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Anne and I have just returned from five nights in Riga, Latvia, a city beautifully restored since Latvia regained independence from Russia in 1991. It was a pleasure to be playing five organ solos in two concerts given by the excellent choir of St Peter’s church, Nottingham, under the genial guidance of Dr Peter Siepmann. The most memorable moments were on Sunday in Riga Dom, playing its monster 124-stop Walcker, complete with original 1880s console. A real challenge, but so worthwhile as the organ sounds utterly wonderful. Definitely one to remember.

The Arts Society, Trent Valley branch, visited beautiful Sledmere House in the East Riding of Yorkshire today. The house boasts a large Binns, Fitton & Haley (rebuilt and enlarged by Principal Pipe Organs) in the attic, speaking down boldly into the entrance hall and played by a three-manual stop-key console. I had great fun entertaining our friends in the group, whose monthly lectures Anne and I attend with enormous pleasure.

It’s been a busy few days, during which I took part in a celebratory concert at Southwell Minster, to mark thirty years since I founded the Southwell Minster Choir Association and to relaunch the Southwell Minster Old Choristers’ Association. On Monday 22nd Simon Hogan conducted his final Evensong before leaving the Minster after seven years of stunning playing, following which the Minster Chorale and guests enjoyed a wonderful barbecue in the grounds of Sacrista Prebend (formerly the Choristers’ boarding house). As if that wasn’t enough, our dear friend Murray Somerville gave a splendid recital on the Selby Abbey organ today, followed by a most convivial buffet lunch. The summer has started well!

Anne and I have just spent a very happy few days on the Isle of Wight, where I played a recital on the beautiful Mutin / Cavaillé-Coll (restored by Andrew Cooper) in Quarr Abbey and gave some organ advice at Holy Trinity, Cowes. Wonderful weather and the Island was as delightful as ever: we managed two serious walks and rather more serious meals. Let’s hope the former balance out the latter.

Well, that’s it: all good things come to an end! Last night the wonderful Nottingham Bach Choir sang their hearts out in my final concert as their Musical Director — after 29 years at the helm. From the VW Mystical Songs, Parry’s Blest pair of Sirens to Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Bach’s exceptionally challenging Singet dem Herrn — all were sung accurately and stylishly, with expression in the romantic pieces, elegance in the Haydn and sparkling vivacity in the Bach. No conductor could have wished for more — nor for a more enjoyable and stimulating three decades with a choir. I wish all my friends in NBC the very best wishes for an exciting future with my popular and talented successor, Dr Peter Siepmann, to whom I — literally — passed the baton at the end of the evening. Au revoir, NBC!

It has been a challenging week for our family. My lovely mother died, aged 93, on the same day that Notre Dame, Paris, burnt, my father having died (aged 98) at the end of 2017. On Thursday June 13th (their 72nd Wedding Anniversary) we buried their combined ashes in the peaceful Arboretum Cemetery here in Bingham, following a beautiful service in Southwell Minster, conducted by my old friend and colleague Canon Nigel Coates. Family and friends came together from all over the UK, from the USA and from Italy, so it was an amazing and enriching gathering. All went well, though we do now feel emotionally and physically drained, and it’s odd — even at our age — being without parents.

It’s been a while since I played the organ for an Organ Dedication service, so it was a special pleasure to do so at Barcheston today. The Bishop of Warwick dedicated the new organ—built by Henry Groves & Son in divided cases designed by the late Kenneth Tickell—and a glorious Choral Evensong was sung by a small choir of Oxford and London pros assembled and ably directed by Nigel Howells. This little Warwickshire country church will never before have experienced singing quite like that! A very happy occasion—as was the party which followed.

This weekend Anne and I have been staying in Orford, on the east coast, in whose parish church Benjamin Britten conducted the first performance of Noyes Fludde and of his Church Parables. It now has a fine organ, the 3-manual Peter Collins formerly at Southampton University, restored by Cousans Organs, which looks and sounds as if it had been made for its new home. There were three major concerts: I played the first, followed by Bernhard Haas (performing from memory) and then Catherine Ennis, whose vivacious performance of the Poulenc Concerto (with Prometheus Orchestra) brought the house down. A truly memorable weekend.

On Monday 15th April all my friends were glued to their screens watching in horror as the medieval roof of Notre Dame, Paris, burnt. For the Hale family, that came at the end of an already sad day in which my beloved mother, June, died. Aged 93, she had enjoyed 70 years of happy and fulfilling marriage to my father, Lawrie, who died at the end of 2017. Her last 16 months had been spent close to us in a Care Home, where it was a joy to have seen her regularly. She will be hugely missed but remembered with enormous affection.

Nicholson & Co Ltd, organ-builders of Malvern, today put on a stimulating training day for Diocesan organ advisers. Attracting DOAs from all over England—Devon to Carlisle—the day was packed with sessions on all aspects of organ restoration and conservation, including how to approach assessing what work needs doing, actions, wind, soundboards, electrics, pipe restoration, voicing, casework restoration, and so on. Warm thanks are owed to Managing Director Andrew Caskie and his skilled team for giving up an entire day to this event.