A COMBINED church organ concert and picnic with an American twist will be taking place in Steeple Ashton next month in aid of the village’s church preservation trust.

The event is being held on American Independence Day on July 4 and will include Bath Abbey organist Peter King performing American organ music on the recently re-built Bryceson & Ellis organ in St Mary’s Church at 6.30pm.

Music by American composers such as John Philip Sousa, Scott Joplin, Dan Locklair and Dudley Buck will share the programme with 19th century European composers such as Brahms and Liszt - contemporary with the time the St Mary’s organ was built.

The concert will be followed by an open house, bring-your-own picnic at the adjacent 17th century Manor and its featured gardens, where the 44U Barbershop Quartet will be performing.

John Aeberhard, who is helping to organise the event with his wife Penny, said: “We’re taking advantage of all the gardening we did for Steeple Ashton's recent Open Gardens event by running another fundraiser for the church.

“As it is American Independence Day, we've taken that as the theme for the evening and will combine an organ concert by Peter King with an open garden picnic in the Manor when the 44U barbershop quartet from Bristol's Great Western Chorus will also take part.

“The concert will include tunes played at the funeral of President Reagan as well as the wedding of President Nixon’s daughter. Sousa’s Washington Post and Liberty Bell will also ring out alongside Joplin’s The Entertainer and Harmony Hall Waltz, together with Buck’s Home Sweet Home.”

The performance of Mr King, who previously played a recital at the church last year, will be displayed on a large screen in the church for the audience to see him up close.

“This will be a return visit to Steeple Ashton for Peter King, who gave a recital in the church early last year when he expressed his delight in the quality of sound from the organ,” added Mr Aeberhard.

Tickets for the organ concert and entry to the Manor gardens, including a glass of fizz and apple pie and cream to close the evening, cost £20 each (concert centre aisles) or £15 (concert side aisles).

Tickets for the concert alone (side aisles) are offered at £10 each. Picnic tables and chairs will be available if reserved in advance on a first-come basis and there will also be a bar with wine for sale.

Picnic set up in the Manor gardens will be from 5.30pm onwards. Further details and tickets are available from Mr Aeberhard by contacting 01380 870602 or emailing Aeberhard@btinternet.com.