SPOTLIGHT ON... Susan Gadd – strengthening the SWO community in her role as SWOcials officer

What – and when – was the prompt for you to become an organist?

I had always loved music and played the flute and piano. Then our school music teacher gave a demonstration of the organ which was so exciting I asked for lessons. Recently I came across my report and saw the school’s response: "Organ playing is a seedy business for a girl - eerie buildings, cold and mice..." (!)

But that didn’t put you off! Had you previously observed that the organ was regarded as a ‘boy’s instrument’?

At that time I had only ever seen men play the organ.

Clearly you found an organ teacher – what do you recall about your studies then?

Simon Lole later gave me lessons at St. Mary’s, Warwick and was brilliant. He founded the girls’ choir at St. Mary’s in 1990; many years later I was thrilled he came and conducted a concert by my girls’ choir in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey (NJ), USA. They were very impressed by his ‘cute British accent’!

After school you studied organ at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC). Did the course support your ambition as an organist?

I didn’t have a clear idea of my future when I started at Birmingham, having just switched to first-study organ from flute. The entire organ teaching staff and majority of students were male, with expectations and opportunities heavily influenced by gender. However, that was a long time ago (1995) and thankfully the organ department is now transformed.

And what happened to change things for you?

I took some summer holiday lessons with another teacher – a woman, who taught technique brilliantly.

Excellent! And what did you do after graduating from RBC?

I saw an invitation to audition for the organ class at Geneva Conservatoire so I flew to Switzerland and auditioned on the Van den Heuvel organ in Victoria Hall. I didn't expect to get in but thought it was a wonderful opportunity to play a lovely organ and go skiing! To my surprise, I was offered a place. My professor, François Delor, was a French Classical specialist, sometimes teaching on the Quoirin organ at Temple de la Fusterie and leading trips to play at Bordeaux, Albi etc. It was great to experience this unique sound-world. Studying in cosmopolitan Geneva also helped with different languages (French, German and Italian) which has been useful.

Was the attitude to women organ students better at Geneva Conservatoire?

Yes! At Geneva Conservatoire there were more female than male organ students - perhaps because study is geared towards concert performance rather than church music and Switzerland doesn't have a male-dominated choral tradition like England.

And after your studies in Geneva ended?

I was appointed Director of Music at Christ Church (l'Église Anglaise) in Lausanne and taught at the International School. The setting on the shores of Lake Geneva looking across to Evian was idyllic. We had only just formed a children's choir before the tragic events of 9/11 so their first performance was a commemorative service with high-profile officials when they gave their all in 'America the Beautiful'.

Talking of America, that’s where you went next. What prompted that move?

I loved my 10 years in Switzerland but when our wonderful Rector retired and ex-pats from the congregation returned to the USA I applied for a job near New York. Some highlights were: 1) forming a Handbell Choir for children with special needs, children with Autism memorizing all the sequences perfectly, and 2) Setting up a Chorister Scholarship Program for 24 children at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Paterson, NJ - one of America's poorest cities. They had piano/organ lessons, sang at 3 services every Sunday in English and Spanish and toured.

Those highlights are child-centred – is that where you feel your strongest sense of mission?

Yes. Our Handbell Choir gave Autistic children the chance to successfully be part of a team; each ringer had an assigned ‘buddy’ from local schools as they were more responsive to receiving help from their peers. The program in Paterson gave choristers the chance to create something beautiful - soaring up to top Gs, whilst growing up in a dangerous city with armed police/metal detectors at school. I enjoy teaching and love children’s spontaneous responses when (mis)reading new music eg. Stanford’s ‘Ye choirs of New Jersey’!

Why did you return to the UK, and what are you doing now?

I'm glad to be home! I moved back in 2020 as my Dad's health was failing. I’m Director of Music at St. Mary's Church, Lymm and teach the organ, piano and flute.

I imagine it was not easy post-COVID to build your career again from scratch in NW England, having been away for so long?

I’ve managed to build up a teaching practice with a waiting list for lessons. One challenge has been recovering after breaking my back..!

So you overcame initial discouragement, then applied to study in Switzerland, followed by professional appointments in Lausanne and three appointments in America; and now you have established a freelance career in NW England. Where does that confidence and resourcefulness come from?

Being an Army brat, I was used to travelling. After my audition in Geneva I called my brother Eddie who said when you have an opportunity, take it!! You gain perspective studying/working abroad and it's worth taking a risk as you could have the best experience of your life.

You became SWOcial Officer in 2024. How is that going?

Our most recent SWOcial in Oxford was lovely, with visits to Exeter, Christ Church and Magdalen College where members listened to and played organs by Walker, Rieger and Eule and had a picnic in sunny Christ Church Meadow. And the Westminster Abbey SWOcial in 2023 was extraordinary, with 20 members all invited to sit in the Quire and play the organ after Evensong. My favourite, though, was the SWOcial in York when we had afternoon tea at Betty’s, attended Choral Evensong at York Minster followed by a demonstration of the organ and the opportunity to play. I've tried to make SWOcials more accessible for members outside London, and I’m focused now on several more events around the UK. But I think that the greatest benefit of SWOcials is, even beyond these exciting venues, the opportunity for women organists to connect and offer each other support. I’ve made wonderful friends through SWOcials, and I know that others have, too. I hope more members will join our SWOcials in 2026!

Susan, congratulations on all you have achieved, and thank you for the wonderful work you are doing for us as SWOcial officer!