Instrument Collection

The Recital Room houses a fine, mechanical action 13-stop chamber organ, with two manuals and pedals, built by William Drake (1996). The Auditorium houses a new three manual and pedal digital organ from the Veritas Organ Company, generously donated by its designer Graham Blyth (2011). Organists may also use the organ in the Great Hall of the University: a three manual (four divisions) and pedal organ last rebuilt by Nicholsons in the 1960s but presently maintained by Harrisons of Durham.

The Recital Room also contains two harpsichords: a Goble copy of a single manual Fleischer of c.1720 (as played by J. S. Bach); and a Colin Booth single manual, a copy of a late Renaissance harpsichord.

There are grand pianos by Steinway (a Model D in the Auditorium), Yamaha (Auditorium and Recital Room), Bösendorfer, Petrov and Estonia as well as smaller models in some practice rooms. Other practice rooms have upright pianos, including six new high-quality Yamahas purchased in 2010 thanks to a generous legacy from the late Christopher Stunt. The department also owns a new Yamaha 4-octave celesta.

The Music Department owns a comprehensive range of orchestral percussion instruments including two xylophones, two vibraphones, 4.3 octave Condor concert Marimba and two sets of pedal timpani, including a new set of 5 Majestic copper-bowl timpani.

We own a range of non-standard wind instruments for the use of performers in the various ensembles. These include an alto flute, two Cors Anglais, two E-flat clarinets, two bass clarinets (one of them a Buffet Prestige, with extended low range), an Amati contrabassoon and a set of four Wagner Tubas. There is also a collection of early instruments including a baroque string quartet, a chest of viols, recorders and a lute.