Margaret Phillips

Concert organist

Photograph of an organ by Snetzler

The English Organ School & Museum (EOS) is a not-for-profit association founded in 1996 to promote the understanding and appreciation of the organ as a musical instrument, to provide facilities for learning and playing the organ, and to promote other musical activities.

EOS uses the buildings of the former Congregational Chapel (latterly the United Reformed Church) at Milborne Port, which were purchased in 1992 by concert organist and teacher Margaret Phillips (Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music, London, from 1996 2021) and her late husband David Hunt to house their private collection of organs and other keyboard instruments. These include chamber organs by Snetzler (1769), James Davis (c. 1795) and William Gray (c. 1805), a small church organ by John Clark (1858) and an unusual 3-manual house organ built in Dublin in 1865 (probably by Telford & Telford), all of which have Historic Organ Certificates issued by the British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS). Two modern 2-manual mechanical action organs built to our specification by Peter Collins Ltd (1984 and 2000) are the main instruments for teaching and practice. An illustrated booklet giving details of instruments now or formerly in the EOS collection is available price £3.00 plus £1.00 postage.

The collection is not open to the public but concerts and courses etc are held throughout the year, and membership of EOS is open to anyone interested in the objects of the association. Please click here for an application form for membership.

Friday Morning Concerts

Since 1997 Margaret Phillips (organ and harpsichord) has given a monthly series of concerts every spring and autumn, covering a very wide range of keyboard repertoire from the sixteenth century to the present day. Details are given in periodic mailings to EOS members. Concerts are also given from time to time by visiting organists and instrumentalists.

Photograph taken at an EOS concert.

Group Visits

Day or half-day programmes can be arranged for groups of up to 40 participants on request. These usually include a demonstration recital by Margaret Phillips on the principal instruments in the collection. Please click here for an information leaflet.

Study Sessions

Margaret Phillips leads occasional Study Sessions for players and observers, usually in the afternoon following a Friday morning concert. There are also from time to time residential courses led by Margaret Phillips and other distinguished tutors.

Individual Tuition and Study Breaks

Individual tuition with Margaret Phillips is available at EOS to organ students of all standards on a private basis when her other professional commitments permit. The fee is £60 per hour. Those taking lessons may also book practice time on the smaller Collins organ (£5 per hour) or the larger (£6 per hour).

For organists preparing for examinations, wanting to begin again where they left off, or just needing a break in the country, this is also an opportunity to 'get away from it all'. Accommodation and help-yourself breakfast are available at the venue, price £30 per person per night (£80 for 3 nights; non-playing partners/family members or friends also welcome) and a list of other local accommodation will be supplied on request.

Organ Music

EOS holds a stock of new and second-hand music; please click here for a list. There are also volumes of mixed composers; please enquire for details.
Postal address: The Manse, Chapel Lane, Milborne Port, Sherborne, DT9 5DL
Telephone: 01963 250011 email: mp@margaretphillips.org.uk Photograph of Margaret seated at an organ.

Photograph of Margaret seated at an organ.

Thank you for visiting these pages.

Margaret Phillips