For the second year running The Society of Women Organists (SWO) has announced it will mark this year’s International Women’s Day with a marathon of performances by women organists at London Bridge station, from 9am to 6pm, on Saturday 8 March 2025.

The Henry Jones organ at London Bridge Station dates from the Victorian period and was installed in the station arches in 2022 by Pipe Up for Pipe Organs, a charity which rescues, old, abandoned church organs and finds them new homes. Over 20 women are planning to perform in the station, which sees over 100,000 passengers pass through on an average day.

This coming Sunday, the fifth Woman Composer Sunday is being celebrated on 9 March. The initiative encourages organists and choral directors to include music by a woman composer in church services, and/or post performances on social media. This annual festival was launched in collaboration with the Royal College of Organists, and together they have annually published a suggested repertoire list prepared by SWO's Directory team. Since 2022 the event has also been supported by the American Guild of Organists.

Currently women represent only 10% of Directors of Music and Organists in English and Welsh cathedrals, and an even smaller proportion of organ recitalists. In an attempt to address this gender imbalance, SWO was launched in 2019 by Anne Marsden Thomas MBE and Ghislaine Reece-Trapp. Membership is free to all who support its aims to support all women organists, promote women's activities in the organ world and recruit girls and women of all ages and backgrounds to study the organ.

Explore the SWO women's music repertoire list here