Anna Lapwood, a 28-year-old organist and associate artist of the Royal Albert Hall, has become one of the most popular classical musicians on TikTok. She recently performed at the BBC Proms, showcasing her talent and passion for the pipe organ.
Lapwood started posting videos of her organ performances on TikTok during the lockdown, and soon gained a huge following. She now has over 1.5 million followers on the social media platform, where she shares behind-the-scenes insights into the workings of the pipe organ, as well as unexpected mash-ups of classical and contemporary music.
She says that her TikTok fame was partly thanks to some girl choristers who she teaches, who suggested that she should give it a go. “That’s what I have done and it seems to work,” she told BBC News.
Lapwood’s popularity on TikTok led to her being invited to perform at the BBC Proms, one of the most prestigious classical music festivals in the world. She played at the late-night Prom on July 26, 2023, with a programme themed around Moon and Stars. She also joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for the Last Night of the Proms on September 9, 2023, playing Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.
Playing an Entire Building
Lapwood’s instrument of choice is the Henry Willis organ at the Royal Albert Hall, which was built in 1871 and once was the largest organ in the world. It has 9,999 pipes, stands 70 feet high and weighs around 150 tonnes. Lapwood describes playing it as “contagious and infectious”.
She says that she often practices at night, when the hall is empty and she can play at full blast. “It is the only time we organists can get in, have the place to ourselves and play this amazing thing at full blast – because it really is very, very loud, and you can’t be disturbing people while they are trying to work,” she explains.
She adds that playing the organ is like playing an entire building, as she uses both her hands and feet to control the sound. She also has to adjust to different acoustics and temperatures, which affect how the pipes sound.
A Star on a Mission
Lapwood is not only a gifted organist, but also a choral conductor and a broadcaster. She is the director of music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where she leads the chapel choir and teaches organ scholars. She also hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 3 called The Organ Show, where she explores the history and repertoire of the instrument.
Lapwood is passionate about promoting the organ and classical music to a wider audience, especially young people and women. She says that she faced some challenges when she started playing the organ as a girl, as some people told her that it was not for girls. She has since proved them wrong, and has become a role model for aspiring female organists.
She also wants to challenge some of the negative stereotypes associated with the organ, such as being boring or old-fashioned. She says that she tries to be herself and honest about who she is on social media, and that she hopes to inspire more people to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the organ.
