A new organ scholarship has been launched at Salisbury Cathedral School.
The announcement came following a "generous" donation to the school's Pipe Dreams campaign from Paul Griffiths and Joanna Marsh
Salisbury Cathedral School is the first preparatory school in the UK to offer this opportunity.
'Griffiths Chapel Organ Scholarships' will support two organ scholars, one boy and one girl, during Years 7 and 8, commencing in September 2023 and/or September 2024.
Read more: Salisbury Cathedral launches Pipe Dreams campaign
Applications are open to keyboard players with a minimum of grade five, or to those already learning the organ, in current school Years 5 and 6.
Successful candidates will receive a 20 per cent school fee remission - with access to significant further means-tested bursary funds - weekly organ lessons, and regular performance opportunities in the school Chapel and local churches.
There is also the possibility for scholars to play the famous Father Willis organ in Salisbury Cathedral.
Paul and Joanna have been "keenly devoted" to cathedral music most of their lives.
Paul said: "We are keen to support the introduction of young people to the rewarding and beneficial study of the organ and its repertoire, especially as the natural pathway which most of us followed is more opaque in our increasingly secular society."
The Pipe Dreams campaign, launched May 2022, is raising money to repair the school's Peter Collins pipe organ, make improvements to the organ loft in the school chapel, and launch the new scholarships.
See more: Hundreds raised by West Dean couple who sold their car to Chris Parry
Necessary organ repairs will be commissioned during the 2023 summer holidays thanks to ongoing fundraising events hosted by the school.
Headmaster Clive Marriott said: "We could not be more delighted to welcome Paul Griffiths and his wife Joanna Marsh to the Salisbury Cathedral School community, and are greatly indebted to their generosity which will open a musical path for two young people.
"Paul is himself a wonderfully accomplished organist and Joanna is a renowned composer who won an Ivors Composer Award for her composition for unaccompanied choir, ‘All Shall Be Well’, in 2022.
Read also: Record number of staff left their posts at Salisbury Hospital
"Their combined musical expertise and passion will be a great inspiration for the new scholars and our wider school community."
Salisbury Cathedral School has been educating the choristers of Salisbury Cathedral since its inception in 1091.
For more information about the Pipe Dreams Campaign visit salisburycathedralschool.com/Sponsor-A-Pipe/
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