World Première for local composer

The magnificent organ of Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral will be taxed to the limit of its exceptional range of sounds when the Cathedral's organist, Richard Lea, gives the first performance of a work specially written for him by Rochdale composer, Graham Marshall, during a Recital on Saturday, 6 September at 2.30pm.

The 11-minute piece, entitled Eloi, is a meditation on the death of Jesus Christ as described in Chapter 15 of St. Mark's Gospel. Musically pulling no punches, it exploits the possibilities of the organ's sonorities from the quietest sweetness to the loudest outburst.

Graham Marshall is conductor of the recently established Rochdale Light Orchestra, which resumes rehearsal in St. Martin's Church and Community Rooms, Castleton, on Monday 8 September at 7.30pm.

Mr Marshall says new members are very welcome in every department of the orchestra, especially string players.

The Orchestra will be giving its first public concert in St. Martin's in November, with music by George Gershwin and Jerome Kern as well as Debussy, Gounod and Graham Marshall himself.