Michael Carter at the COS Northern Wurlitzer in Victoria Hall, Saltaire

OrganFax Directory

Michael Carter

Telephone Number :  07973 909 505

Email address :  MichaelCarterOrganist@gmail.com

Website :  www.youtube.com/c/MichaelCarter4Music

Address :  4 Asbury Road,  Balsall Common,  Coventry,  West Midlands,  CV7 7QN 

About Michael

2023/24 - My concert instrument for electronic concerts is the latest Yamaha Stagea ELC-02. For theatre organ concerts I can also offer a cross-over programme where I use the electronic for a few solo items and also to accompany the theatre organ using pre-sequences backing tracks. If this is of interest, do let me know at the time of booking.

 

Michael Carter is an organist from the West Midlands, near Solihull. He plays both electronic and theatre organ.

During his concerts you will hear a mix of theatre organ standards, orchestral arrangements, light classical items, film music and showtunes, as well as some popular tunes and diverse musical interpretations.

Michael started learning to play the organ following a visit to Blackpool Tower, aged nine. Michael was mesmerised by the sound and remembers deciding there and then that he wanted to play that instrument.  Within a few years of hard work and with tutorage from Midlands Cinema Organist, Foley Bates, he returned to the Tower and achieved his ambition to play the famous instrument.

Throughout his teenage years he worked weekends and school holidays in local music shops in Warwick and Leamington Spa and continued with his lessons in theatre style whilst developing his own approach on electronic.

Michael started performing for concerts, dancing, and local events including an appearance on the same bill as a young Joe Pasquale for a charity event.  Throughout these early years, he owned many instruments and most performances were either on his Hammond M102 or on Yamaha HS series.  His love for theatre organ remained and Michael performed a number of concerts alongside his teacher as well as solo events.

After a 20-year musical hiatus to focus on his career in IT, Michael returned to the concert scene in 2017 and now uses a Yamaha Stagea ELC-02 imported from Japan for all electronic concerts.

With a full-time career as an IT Manager, Michael is only able to accept a limited number of engagements each year. Please do get in touch early if possible  

In his spare time, Michael helps with maintenance at some theatre organ venues and is the editor for 'Cinema Organ'; the quarterly journal of the Cinema Organ Society. His house is also home to a 2-manual Wurlitzer console (originally from the New Victoria Cinema, Edinburgh) that he is rebuilding as a Virtual Theatre Pipe Organ using computers instead of pipes.

Early 2020 saw Michael making a return recreational visit to the USA to play a number of theatre organs around PA, DE and NJ before things halted due to Covid. Michael was due to travel to the Isle of Man Wurlitzer to play for a midweek concert and make return visits to the LTOT in Peel Green and the Wurlitzer's at Beer and Rye, but as we know there followed 18 months of disruption. Happily, live music is firmly back on the agenda and during 2022/23, in addition to the usual concerts, Michael played a number of cross-events featuring electronics and pipes.

Booking now for 2023/24

Michael's Photo Gallery

 Michael Carter at The Wannamaker organ, Philadelphia, PA, USA  Michael Carter at his Yamaha EL900m Empress Ballroom, Blackpool Winter Gardens. (Photo: Wayne Ivany)

Michael's Concert Diary

Michael's Festival appearances

Michael will also be featured at the following festivals this year.

2024

October 1st

   Music in Stourport-on-Severn 2024

Concerts in 2023
January 5thLancastrian Theatre Organ Trust - Heritage Centre
February 9thYork Electronic Organ & Keyboard Society
March 16thHarrogate Keyboard Club
April 20thAbergele and District Electronic Organ Society
June 13thLeamington & District Organ Society
August 30thLancastrian Theatre Organ Trust - Heritage Centre
September 12thCinema Organ Society - Northern District (more details)

Open Day from 11am - 4pm with mini-concerts, chamber tours and light refreshments - ADMISSION FREE

October 11thAshfield Keyboard Concerts
October 23rdDerby Organ and Keyboard Club
November 5thCinema Organ Society - Midlands and Wales District
Concerts in 2024
January 3rdLancastrian Theatre Organ Trust - Heritage Centre
February 1stWeston Organ and Keyboard Club
March 6thGrimsby Keyboard & Electronic Organ Club
March 9thBeer Wurlitzer
May 24thSt Edmundsbury In Tune (Bury St Edmunds)
June 19thLancastrian Theatre Organ Trust - Heritage Centre
September 2ndCheadle and District Organ Society
September 28thWorcester Organists Association 60th Anniversary Concert (more details)

A concert featuring several members

October 1stMusical Breaks (more details)

Evening Concert, Stourport Manor Hotel

October 13thColchester Keyboard Concerts
October 20thBideford Keyboard and Organ Club