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How did you start playing the organ? I enjoyed learning the piano as a child and discovered the joy of singing hymns in church. The church organist said: ‘From the sound of your singing, you must be able to play the organ!’ So I started playing at Sunday services and the congregation’s encouragement prompted me to learn properly. Was it easy to find organ lessons? Sadly, no. Most organists in Japanese parish churches are untrained volunteers. Private lessons from resident

Lyn, how did your interest in women’s music begin? I needed a topic for my DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) and my husband suggested women composers. Brilliant! No one would have any knowledge of the topic, so I could avoid the competition of a well-researched area. Once finished I submitted an article to a major musicology journal and was told that my topic was “amusing but not research. Try Beethoven”. What about women’s compositions for the church? Why does that matter? “He’s

Picture credit Vivienne Sarky Anita, what inspired you to start learning the organ, and what support and guidance did you receive? Aged 14, I was thrown onto the Hammond drawbar organ at my mum’s church when another organist failed to show up one day. Mum’s church didn’t have a resident organist or choral tradition, so I was ignorant of Anglican church music culture and other opportunities until a local vicar helped me gain lessons through an RSCM scholarship scheme. A chance