Alex and Alison Davies to perform concert of music for organ, piano and saxophone on Lyme Regis’s Škrabl organ at St Michael’s Parish Church.

Husband-and-wife duo Alex and Alison Davies will give a concert of music for organ, piano and saxophone in Lyme Regis next week.

The concert, on Thursday, March 22, at 7.30pm, will take place in St Michael’s Parish Church, home of the Škrabl organ which was installed 10 years ago, after a successful fundraising campaign.

Alison will be playing the alto and soprano saxophones, and Alex will be playing the organ and piano.

The concert opens with Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in C minor – which Alison will be playing on the alto saxophone – and continues with movements from Mendelssohn’s Sonata No.1 in F minor and Handel’s Organ Concerto in D minor. Marcel Dupré’s Prelude and Fugue in B Major will bring the first half to a close.

The second half sees a change of pace, with some modern, jazz-inspired pieces including Bordel 1900 by Astor Piazzolla, Dreams by Aleksandr Chugunov and Everything is Still by Andy Scott. The programme also includes Schwarzer Tanzer by Nigel Wood, Denis Bedard’s Sonata No 1 for alto saxophone and organ, and Ad Wammes’ Play it Cool, which Alex played in a recital last year to an enthusiastic reception.

Alex and Alison both studied at Trinity College of Music, in London, and currently combine successful careers in music with running the family bed and breakfast business.

Alex is musical director and organist at St Michael’s and runs local choir Lyme Bay Chorale, while Alison runs Saxminster, a saxophone band that plays at a range of events in the area.

They were married in 2010 and live in Lyme Regis with their two children.

Tickets for the concert are £10 on the door, although some are available in advance through the South Wessex Organ Society Facebook page.

The South Wessex Organ Society was founded in 2017 and aims to encourage organ playing and the appreciation of sacred and secular organ music across the region.

It works towards this purpose both through recitals and concerts and through practical courses that encourage existing organists on their musical path.

The society grew out of the Lyme Regis Organ School and is continuing the annual winter course that has been a valuable learning experience for organists of all ages over the last decade.

Membership of the society is open to all, organists and non-organists alike.

Annual membership is £15 single and £25 for a couple. Members’ subscriptions provide a vital source of income, but equally important is their involvement in helping the society to achieve its aims.

The benefits of membership include special members’ events and a twice-yearly newsletter. Members also take part in electing the board of trustees who manage and direct the society.