London Mozart Players launches UK’s first shopping centre organ

London Mozart Players (LMP) has partnered with music heritage charity Pipe Up for Pipe Organs to install a pipe organ in Croydon’s Whitgift shopping centre. The community-focused project is a continuation of LMP’s commitment, as the borough’s resident orchestra, to engaging the local community during Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture 2023.

The organ will stay in place for the duration of Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture and will be open for the public to use during the shopping centre’s opening hours. The organ will operate in the same way as the train station pianos which recently found popularity in Channel 4’s The Piano and will be free for people of all abilities to try.

Flynn Le Brocq, LMP’s chief executive, said: ‘We opened the London Borough of Culture at the start of April with a huge mixed-genre community event and we’re continuing to build on our cultural work inside and outside of the concert hall. This shopping centre organ will hopefully brighten people’s day as they walk by and get the chance to have a go – whether it’s someone’s very first time playing an instrument or their 100th time playing Bach’s Toccata and Fugue.’

Pipe Up for Pipe Organs, a charity which rescues abandoned organs from being destroyed, has installed the late 19th century instrument. The charity also recently installed an organ at London Bridge Station. As well as offering use of the organ to the local community, LMP will also offer free pop-up performances with local Croydon groups throughout the year.

Launched earlier this month, the organ is already eliciting responses from the local public. You can find out more in the video below.