Elizabeth Harrison

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth will be hosting Organ Week at St Audries Bay twice in 2020. Dates are 4th-9th May and 20th-25th September.

Leyland in Tune Charity Concerts are 4th Monday of the Month at Midge Hall Meth Church, Longmeanygate, Leyland, PR26 6TD 7.30pm

Elizabeth Harrison has established herself on the concert circuit not only as a musician but also as an entertainer.  Her varied musical repertoire along with her cheerful Lancashire humour has made her one of the country’s favourite performers.  

She has been performing concerts for approaching 30 years, during which she has accumulated a wealth of experience playing both electronic and theatre organs, and she is now undoubtedly one of the busiest performers on the concert and dance circuit.

Elizabeth's concerts are well rehearsed and she plays music to suit all tastes in a refreshing style and presented with her own brand of light hearted humour.  When chatting to the audience she has the ability to make each individual member of the audience feel like she is speaking to them personally.  She always includes references to recent activities and talks about every day life on her farm.

My ambition was always to have job satisfaction and I have definitely accomplished that, as I love my life travelling around and meeting lovely people.  Over the years I’ve made lots of friends, worked and stayed in many parts of the UK, given pleasure to lots of people through playing an instrument I love.  What more could I ask for? 

My interest in organ music began when I was 9 years of age.  I had no idea my father Robin, a Dairy Farmer, was interested in learning to play the organ until he purchased a second-hand Howard Skyline from John Broadbent, the son of famous organist Ernest Broadbent (who was the star resident organist at Blackpool's famous Tower Ballroom for seven years).  Dad never did learn to play as I was immediately fascinated having never seen an electronic organ before and I couldn’t keep my hands and feet off it!  A local teacher was found and this is where my musical journey began. 

Whilst most musicians are inspired by famous or well know names, when I was in my early teens, I was influenced by two local organists who were committee members of the Blackburn Home Organ Club.  Coincidentally, both gentlemen were called Jack, and both were brilliant players but very modest.  Jack Winston became my teacher.  

By watching and listening to both of the gentleman Jacks regularly, I learned the importance of playing with feeling and expression.  I could see that whilst they weren’t singing out loud, they were reading the words to the piece being played which helped to express the music.  I watched them play intricate counter melodies, harmonies, custom made introductions and endings, they played in difficult keys and time signatures, so very inspiring, and made me want to play in the same way.

They also taught me that it was important to be able to play a concert on any organ and not rely on only the sounds or presets of the instruments I was rehearsing on.  I was advised by my teacher not to listen to other organists or else I’d unknowingly copy what they did!  “Listen to orchestras, you need your own style,” Jack used to say.  That said, in more recent years I have enjoyed listening to some fabulous theatre organists and always listen out for good counter melodies!

I listen to music almost all day long and have found subscribing to a digital music service of great benefit.  I listen to concert orchestras such as Bryan Smith, Ken Turner, Percy Faith and Syd Lawrence.  I enjoy listening to Nat King Cole, Elton John, old TV and Radio favourites, novelty pieces, Strauss Waltzes and much more! 

Playing for ballroom and sequence dancing is something I began to enjoy over 20 years ago.  In more recent years, I discovered Old Time Dancing and I am pleased to be a member and play for both The Old Time Dance Society and the English National Old Time Dance Society.  This involves playing set dances such as the Caledonians, Quadrilles, Lancers, Gavottes, Glides and many more dances.  I love the music of that period. 

This year, is the fourth consecutive year that I have had the honour to be invited to play alongside The Empress Orchestra in the impressive Empress Ballroom, in The Winter Gardens, Blackpool, for The Blackpool Sequence Dance Festival.

Though I was never trained as a theatre organist my style of playing seems to come across really well on the theatre organ.  One of my earliest theatre organ concerts, when I was a teenager, was a joint concert with Doreen Chadwick at the former Chorley Town Hall Compton.  Because the organ pipes were at the opposite end of the hall to the organ, I can clearly remember, there was a tremendous delay before the sound got back to the console and it took a bit of getting used to!  I have been lucky enough to play some of Europe’s finest organs, including the 4/20 Wurlitzer in Stockport Town Hall, which was a real highlight for me, it has such a beautiful sound.  

The handful of times I’ve played the Wurlitzer in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom I’ve encountered problems with the lift! Just my luck!  What an honour it is to be regularly invited to play the three manual Compton at The Astoria Centre, Barnsley.  The venue, hospitality and atmosphere is superb and the organ is always in tip top condition.  One theatre organ I’d love to play in the future is the New Victoria Wurlitzer at Howden Le Wear. 

In 2009 my local organ club in Leyland sadly closed with just 19 people in attendance.  Just before the club closed, I approached a local Methodist Church on the outskirts of Leyland to see if I could use the building to host a charity concert in aid of a local good cause.  90 tickets were sold locally and organist John Barnett played the first concert.  Every month since, on the fourth Monday of the month, we have a charity concert and to date we have raised in excess of £45,000 for local good causes.  The concerts go under the name ‘Leyland In Tune’ and are a near sell out each time.  As a result of that success, I have offered advice and help in the formation of St Edmundsbury In Tune and Stilton in Tune both of which are doing extremely well. Future plans are to encourage other players and members of the public to start new community concert nights wherever they can.  If I were to win the lotto I’d build a community venue and hold concerts there. 

Many people will know that I have lots of other interests and hobbies outside of the organ world.  I have my own farm in Chipping, Lancashire, where I am currently renovating the farmhouse, and I take a very keen interest in gardening; I like to source new plants for my garden whilst on my musical travels.

I have a specialist collection of Marshall tractors and a huge collection of advertising character Homepride Fred the Flour Grader.  Once a month I take a few days off from my music work to wear a different hat as a Graphic Designer.  I design a 40 page community newspaper called Grange Now. 

I am thrilled to spend my life sharing my music with people all around the UK, and it’s a good job I’m full of energy with all the different things I do.  I’m looking forward to a future of organ playing and hoping to give opportunities to some of the excellent new younger players who are trying to make a name for themselves in the organ scene.

For more information and to engage Elizabeth to play for you, call her on 07814 261 983 or visit www.organfax.co.uk/players/elizabethharrison

Elizabeth's Photo Gallery

Elizabeth's Concert Diary