Tik-tok organist gets publishing deal

Tik-tok organist gets publishing deal

News

norman lebrecht

December 26, 2023

Boosey & Hawkes have signed a publishing deal with Anna Lapwood,organ ambassador to the state of social media. The agreement includes existing choral scores and organ transcriptions together with future works.

Comments

  • Out of interest.. says:

    I struggle with the organ in general, as it’s not my personal preference as an instrument, but is Anna Lapwood an exceptional organist or merely a popular one?

  • Emil says:

    Also known as Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, a choir with a recording contract with Signum. She’s much more than a “TikTok organist.”

    • Nothing more says:

      Hardly. In fact, that’s exactly what, and all, she is. A “TikTok organist”. She owes her “career” to an app.

      • Guest says:

        “owes her career to an app”! I suggest you should have checked the Wikipedia page on her before spouting such spiteful nonsense.

        • Adam says:

          Sorry to see you’ve been taken in by all the hype, but there’s really no need to check Wikipedia (as if that were any standard). Just look at her videos. Comment is on point.

          • Guest says:

            Not taken in by the hype. Your implication that Magdalen College Oxford awarded her an organ scholarship, and that Pembroke College Cambridge made her Director of Music, solely on the basis of tik-tok posts, is beyond ridiculous. Of course she has become well-known outside specialist musical circles through social media. But that is not her career. Read the Wikipedia article again!

          • Adam says:

            Of course it’s her career. She would never have gotten the attention of Sony, a RAH residency and access to any serious concert opportunities without it, and that is her career now. I hate to break it to you (since I’m guessing you’re either an organist or an organist named Anna) but no one cares about church music, especially outside the UK. If “that were her career” it would show.

  • Observing2 says:

    Ugh not her again…

  • Willym says:

    Good for her. Wishing her luck on her endeavours.

  • Neil Hunt says:

    This girl can do no wrong!

  • Nothing more says:

    I’m tired of hearing that she’s an ambassador. She is – for herself. She plays at an average, very average level, no major works, leaning heavily on Ludovico Einaudi and Hans Zimmer “transcriptions, which mostly amount to a lot of root position chords with Alberti bass. She’s an adherent of the Lang Lang school of generalized open-mouthed “awe and wonder” expressions at all times no matter what she’s playing, with lots of movement to show us where the good parts are. It’s becoming annoying to see her receiving attention that is very much more deserved among any number of other talents.

    I simply don’t care about her choral conducting. She’s just another average church musician who is cashing in on TikTok. Nothing more.

  • Adam says:

    When you’re still playing Florence Price in 2024, and you have to use the score, you shouldn’t be considered an “ambassador” of anything. It speaks to the desperation of more than a few concert presenters that she’s getting invitations. People have got to learn that social media following doesn’t translate to butts in seats, and liking something on Tick Tock doesn’t mean you’re somehow suddenly a “convert to the organ”. What would that even mean. As if teenage girls are going to start taking organ lessons. How gullible are people really?

  • Save the MET says:

    Same crowd as the ones who went after Cameron Carpenter. Both highly skilled and technically brilliant. For those who call her an over-hyped church organist, you don’t know your organ. Social media is the future and helping to keep classical music alive. Look at Yuja Wang’s social media. Also highly skilled and technically brilliant.

    • Sings a bit says:

      Well said ‘Save the MET.’ Clearly Adam doesn’t realise, or fails to aknowledge, that for decades there have been young girls who have excelled at the organ and become professional organists. Sadly there appear to be a number of haters commenting on this post. Perhaps it is jealousy or misogyny or both: Maybe they need to do more organ practise or promote themselves more effectively on social media .

  • James Cook says:

    For the past seven years I have attended compline at Pembroke College Cambridge and have suggested to her that she might like to use some of my choral music, but no luck so far.

  • Too Bad says:

    More pandering, more lowering of standards, and more boomer administrators frantically prostrating themselves at the false altar of social media. Way to go, Boosey. You’re going the way of DG.

  • Couperin says:

    Cameron Carpenter, as quirky and kooky as he is, plays LIGHT YEARS ahead of Lapwood. Juilliard training 😉

    Yeah, Lapwood went to school, studied and took lessons for sure. But don’t kid yourself, the only reason we.know of her is cuz she blasts social media.

    • Adam says:

      I’m no fan of Carpenter, but he’s practically Marcel Dupre to Anna Lapwood’s Diane Bish. How did we get here…

  • P. Terry says:

    … and now she’s got an honour in the UK New Year list!

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