About Penny

Penelope Weedon was born in Buckinghamshire to a musical family, and started piano lessons at 4. Tuition on violin, cello, classical guitar, trumpet and church organ followed. When she was 16 she won an Arts Festival Bursary to study piano with Christopher Elton, whilst continuing her organ studies with Julian Larkin. At 18 she went to the Royal College of Music to study piano, organ and composition.

Like so many before her, Penny overdid the practise and found herself with both arms in plaster and her musical studies apparently at an end. She left the College and trained as a secretary, before working in the recording industry and the police force. She eventually trained as a legal executive. Not until some years later did she resume her studies and obtain her qualifications - including Fellowship of the London College of Music.

Despite the late start, Penny has enjoyed an exciting musical career, spanning 3 continents. Her pipe organ performances have taken her across Europe, including Bristol's Colston Hall, the Croydon Fairfield Halls, Birmingham Town Hall and a plethora of churches throughout the UK, as well as the fine instruments maintained by the Netherland Organ Federation. She has also given theatre organ concerts on some wonderful organs, not least the Wurlitzer in the Tower Ballroom at Blackpool.

Penny's passion for the keyboard orchestra has satisfied her ambition to play every instrument in the orchestra and to be a conductor. She has thrilled audiences countrywide, including Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Birmingham Town Hall, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, The Arnold Theatre Nottingham, The Regis Theatre, and countless music festivals and clubs.

Her other musical activities

Penny has broadcast widely, including an interview with Margaret Howard for Classic FM and three appearances on Pick of the Week. For some years she presented the monthly "PennyWise" organ slot on BBC South and West's "Organ Stop" programme. She also writes for the specialist music press. Her most distant assignment was in South America, reporting on the first Augustin Barrios Guitar Competition.

Penny has worked as an examiner for the London College of Music, has lectured and adjudicated at most of the major keyboard festivals and led holidays for Adult Education bodies such as Missenden Abbey, HF Holidays and the RNIB. Her experience with visually impaired learners led to the production of her CD tuition course, A Keyboard at Your Fingertips.

Leisure time

In 2000, Penny married Tony Kerr, a graphic designer, and they share a love of music, motorhomes and cycling. Between them, they own six organs, a grand piano and twelve keyboards. They have recently taken up ballroom dancing - badly.

Penny's Photo Gallery

Penny's Concert Diary