The Grand Organ Festival
A Celebration of Sound, Heritage, and Community
Bristol Cathedral’s historic organ has returned to full voice following 18 months of meticulous restoration. Throughout 2026, we’re pulling out all the stops for a year-long celebration of music, craftsmanship, and discovery. From world-class recitals to family workshops and orchestral collaborations, come with us on a musical journey.
Make Music Day
Lunchtime Recital: William Forrest
William Forrest, Assistant Organist at Bristol Cathedral, presents a lunchtime recital on the Cathedral organ. His recital programme will feature a selection of works that showcase the organ’s versatility, colour, and expressive power, offering a mix of liturgical and concert repertoire.
A live view will be set up so the audience can watch Will at the console, providing insight into his technique and the artistry involved in performing on this historic instrument.
There is no charge or booking required but we are grateful for any donation you are able to make.
Lunchtime Recital: Friedhelm Flamme
Organist Friedhelm Flamme presents a lunchtime recital on the Cathedral organ. Friedhelm is a German organist, conductor, composer, musicologist and music educator with an extensive international career. His recordings of complete organ works — including music by Maurice Duruflé and works from the North German Baroque — have been widely praised, and he is Artistic Director of the international organ festival Vox Organi.
During the recital, he will perform a programme that highlights the range and expressive capacity of the Cathedral organ. A live view will be set up so the audience can watch Friedhelm at the console, providing insight into his performance and technique.
There is no charge or booking required but we are grateful for any donation you are able to make.
Lunchtime Recital: Mark Lee
Mark Lee, Director of Music at Bristol Cathedral, presents a lunchtime recital on the Cathedral organ. Mark leads the Cathedral’s music programme, directing the choir, overseeing worship music, and supporting the Cathedral’s wider musical outreach. His recital programme will feature a selection of works that showcase the organ’s versatility, colour, and expressive power, offering a mix of liturgical and concert repertoire.
A live view will be set up so the audience can watch Mark at the console, providing insight into his technique and the artistry involved in performing on this historic instrument.
There is no charge or booking required but we are grateful for any donation you are able to make.
WOOFYT
Discover the science, technology, and magic behind incredible musical sound in this exciting hands-on experience.
Explore WOOFYT – The Wooden One-Octave Organ For Young Technologists, a fascinating interactive instrument that brings together music, science, and engineering. In this engaging session you’ll discover how organs create their powerful sound, experiment with the mechanics of music, and explore the technology behind one of the world’s most remarkable instruments. Learn more about the project here: https://www.woofyt.org/about/
Sessions last 75 minutes and must be booked in advance. Available time slots are:
9:30am | 10:50am | 1:00pm | 2:20pm
Alongside this, Crafty Cathedral will be running throughout the morning with a range of musical arts and crafts activities for families and children to enjoy. This element is free and drop-in, so no booking is required.
This event is free of charge, but booking is required for the WOOFYT sessions.
Part of The Grand Organ Festival, celebrating the return of the Cathedral’s organ following its major restoration. Discover the full programme of events. 🎶
New Bristol Sinfonia
The Grand Organ Festival
Following an 18-month refurbishment, Bristol Cathedral’s historic organ has returned to its full voice. Throughout 2026, we invite you to experience its magnificent sound through concerts, services, lunchtime recitals, and interactive workshops. Whether you are here for worship, music, or to explore, we hope you will enjoy the awe-inspiring sound and beauty of this remarkable instrument. Join us in celebrating the organ – a treasured part of Bristol’s heritage, renewed for future generations Click here to find out more- ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
- Watch our Director of Music Mark Lee demonstrate the sounds of our Cathedral Organ
The restoration of Bristol Cathedral’s organ was a labour of love, supported by the Cathedral Trust, the Harry Crook Foundation, and skilled craftsmen at Harrison & Harrison. Every pipe, key, and mechanism was carefully rebuilt, and this vital work has secured the future of this remarkable instrument for generations to come.
For the first time in decades, pipes and colours that had fallen silent are now fully available again. Some have not been heard in living memory. The instrument feels responsive, balanced and alive in a new way, not changed in character, but revealed more completely as itself.
It is a rare thing to hear a historic instrument at the beginning of a new chapter. The Grand Organ Festival offers that opportunity. From major concerts to lunchtime recitals, silent film improvisation to orchestral collaboration, family workshops to national broadcast, the programme invites people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the organ in different ways.
This organ is not simply part of the Cathedral’s past. It stands at the heart of its worship, its musical life and its welcome to the city. Now that it is fully restored and ready, we hope more people than ever will come to hear it, whether for the first time or with a fresh perspective.
What you’ll hear
Greater clarity
Lines feel more defined. When the Choir sings, the organ supports without overwhelming. Individual voices within the music can be heard more distinctly.
A wider dynamic range
From a near whisper to full Cathedral-filling power, the instrument now responds more flexibly to the music being played.
Newly returned colours
Stops that had fallen silent for decades are now speaking again. There are softer sounds for reflective moments, and reverberant full tones for great occasions.
A renewed sense of balance
You do not need to be an expert to hear the difference. Simply listen for the contrast between stillness and splendour.
What to expect
If you worship here
Experience familiar services with fresh depth and power. The organ will lift congregational singing and enhance choral settings. Expect to hear fabulous music such as Messiaen in our Ascension Day service.
If you love music
From evening recitals to silent film scores, and orchestral collaborations, the organ will demonstrate its full range; subtle, playful, dramatic, and full-voiced. Expect a full line up of renowned organists who will bring their own styles to every performance.
If you are curious
See how the organ works, hear sounds you may never have noticed, and get hands-on with music. Family workshops and interactive activities let visitors of all ages explore the pipes, try out sounds, and engage with this incredible instrument in a playful, inspiring way.
If you helped make this possible
The Festival celebrates what your generosity has made possible. Every performance reflects the support of donors and grants, bringing the organ fully back to life. Come and hear the difference for yourself, whether in worship, a recital, or a special festival performance.
Stay Connected
The Festival runs throughout the year, with new events, behind-the-scenes moments, and special announcements along the way.
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Follow us on social media for clips, highlights, and a closer look at the organ in action.
Be part of the journey as this remarkable instrument begins its next chapter.
