Welcome to the home of the NETOA on the web!

Welcome

Welcome to the home of the North East Theatre Organ Association on the web! Here you will find the annual programme of events at the New Victoria Centre, press releases, contact information, a short history of the New Victoria Theatre, Bradford and its Wurlitzer, from their birth in 1930 to the present time, plus much more!

For 38 years our Wurlitzer console rose from the depths of the orchestra pit in the New Victoria Theatre in Bradford to entertain patrons with musical interludes. Now installed in a specially converted building, the New Vic. organ plays once again, recreating the atmosphere of a different and more leisurely age.

Since the organ was first played in its present home in 1986, many thousands of visitors have come along to enjoy the sights and sounds of the 'Mighty' Wurlitzer in the hands of some of the finest exponents of the instrument. Now extensively restored, with the aid of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, extra ranks of original pipework have been added and other changes made to the Wurlitzer to further enhance its versatility.

:: Chris Powell - 11/12 September

:: NETOA Gift Vouchers

:: Young Organists' Showcase

Chris Powell has firmly established himself as one of the UK’s premier ‘entertainment organists’ as well as a truly international ambassador in the field of electronic and theatre organ music. Born in Manchester in 1971, he emigrated to New Zealand with his parents when just 2 years old. Returning to England at the age of 5, his education and formative years while growing up in Lancashire saw him pursue his love of music with piano and organ studies culminating in a string of engagements for both local concerts and dances from the age of 14 onwards. By the time he was 18, he had successfully auditioned to join the team of organists playing for dancing at the Tower Ballroom Blackpool and began to be recognised for his musical talents leading to a succession of invitations to perform at electronic and pipe organ venues.

Following his experience at Blackpool, Chris widened his talents to include work as a demonstrator for several manufacturers including Farfisa, Orla and more recently Roland with whom he his now associated on a freelance basis as a demonstrator and as such tours with their brand new, state of the art AT-900C Atelier instrument.

1994 saw as invitation to return to New Zealand for a month long concert tour on pipes and electronics which lead to an exciting invitation to spend all of 1996 as a Resident Organist at the ‘Baycourt Theatre’ in Tauranga. This was a unique and exciting experience in which, while accompanied by his then fiancée Marie Allsopp, he undertook all manner of concerts, functions and dances while playing the Theatre’s 10 rank Wurlitzer as well as accompanying the Operetta – ‘The Merry Widow’ on this much loved vintage instrument.

Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most popular performers in the UK and intersperses his regular annual diary of engagements in Britain with frequent overseas concert tours with have included Holland, Australia and the US as well as NZ in recent years. Chris was also interviewed and filmed in action for a documentary on cinema nostalgia which screened in NZ last winter. Future visits to the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia are already in the diary again for 2008.

Why not give some concert tickets to a loved one or friend for Christmas, a birthday present or a special occasion? It is now possible to pre-order tickets for future concerts at current prices. Please complete the form below and return it to:

David Kirkbride

NETOA Ticket Sales Officer

3 Edendale Crescent

Howden-le-Wear

Crook

Co. Durham

DL15 8HR

Tel. 01388 762 467

NETOA Gift Vouchers

The NETOA has been fortunate to have some wonderful young players come through the ranks over the years, and it is a pleasure to promote four young players again on Saturday, 7 August at 7.00pm.

Cathryn Howard
Alex Chisholm
Adam Zair
John Barnett

This concert is often one of the highlights of the concert season and it is recommended you book early to avoid disappointment.

North East Theatre Organ Association
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