UGA Presents continues its 30th anniversary season with internationally acclaimed organist Anna Lapwood on April 19 at 7 p.m. at Athens First United Methodist Church.
Lapwood, the official organist of London’s Royal Albert Hall, has gained global recognition for redefining the possibilities of the organ. With millions of followers across social media, she has introduced new audiences to the instrument while championing innovative programming and amplifying underrepresented voices in classical music.
Lapwood brings a genre-defying program that blends traditional organ repertoire with iconic film scores and contemporary works, many in her own arrangements. The evening will feature music from “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Interstellar” and “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.” Composers represented include Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Howard Shore, Rachel Portman, Ludovico Einaudi and Eugène Gigout.
A graduate of the University of Oxford and former director of music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Lapwood has performed at major venues worldwide, including the Sydney Opera House and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Her recent projects include collaborations with leading orchestras, chart-topping recordings and sold-out international tours. Her groundbreaking work earned her an MBE in 2024 and a place on the 2025 Sunday Times Young Power List.
The evening also celebrates the 2020 installation of the 4-manual, 68-rank pipe organ at Athens First United Methodist Church. The instrument, built by Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc., of Warrensburg, Missouri, includes 3,867 pipes and a mahogany console constructed by Southern Elegance Custom Cabinetry of Crawford, Georgia. The instrument was featured on the cover of the organ magazine The Diapason in October 2021.
This performance is supported by Dianne D. Wall, Henry and Carolyn Garrard, Blaine Bostelman and Wessley Barrett, David W. Key, Sr., and Bob and Evelyn Winstead.
Note: This performance is free but sold out. A standby line will be formed one hour before the performance outside the front of Athens First United Methodist Church. Any open seats remaining in the church just before showtime will be filled from the standby line. More information is at pac.uga.edu.
Three ways to get tickets
- Purchase tickets online at pac.uga.edu.
- Call the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Five-minute parking is available in the drop-off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)
Audience members can create their own series of three or more performances for 10% off. UGA Presents single tickets start at just $30 with promo code PAC30, and UGA student tickets are $15.
Information about accessibility and venue amenities is available on the PAC website. Parking is free.
To learn more about all UGA Performing Arts Center events, visit pac.uga.edu.