24-hour Playathon in Llandaff Cathedral

Llandaff Cathedral is hosting 24-hour playathon to launch the beginning of the 10th anniversary year of its organ.

The playathon from Friday 3rd March to Saturday 4th March will be the first of many of the cathedral’s ‘Celebrate 10’ events.

Llandaff Cathedral’s Head of Special Events Olivia Moore said, “The organ is being showcased in every kind of possible way that the organ could be used. And so, we needed to raise funds to make that happen. A playathon seemed like an amazing, wild, crazy idea. And we're really up for it.”

Fifteen organists will play back-to-back to fill the day with extraordinary music, which includes an overnight lock-in and half an hour of ‘beer and hymns’. The organists include music directors form Brecon and Newport, the Metropolitan Cathedral Director of Music and a 13-year-old chorister.

The ‘lock-in’ on Friday night offers a unique opportunity to ‘glamp’ in the 10th century cathedral with its new underfloor heating where breakfast will be provided.

Music Director of Llandaff Cathedral Stephen Moore and the assistant director oversees five choirs connected to the cathedral as well as the seven weekly sung services. Stephen said, “The intention of the music an enhancement of liturgy. And that's really important to us. But it's also an amazing opportunity to have an instrument on which you can play any style of repertoire.”

The plaython will end with an hour long ‘extravaganza’ on Saturday afternoon with a choir 70 strong singing with the Assistant Director of Music Aaron Shilson playing the organ.

If the event raises enough money Aaron has promised to play blind-folded.

The funds raised from ‘Celebrate 10’ events will be used to host more opportunities for renowned organ players and musicians and bring in local schools to give children unique access to the organ and the life of music at the cathedral.

Olivia said, “Music is integrated at every point of the cathedral. It's an integral part of the worship at the cathedral but also the wider community that visit our cathedral. We're very lucky that it is mainly a place of worship, but it's also a historical tourist attraction and a hub of culture.”