David Lobban

David Lobban plays an afternoon theatre-organ concert at St Albans Organ Theatre on Saturday 7 November. It's a solo performance, with Lobban taking the bench for the afternoon.

Lobban's background is a bit of a journey. He started with an apprenticeship in pipe organ building at Hill, Norman & Beard, so he knows how these instruments are put together from the inside out. From there he moved to Canada, where he played in venues that range from circuses to ice hockey arenas — a far cry from the quiet of a workshop. That mix of technical knowledge and a career spent playing for audiences in very different settings is what he brings to the theatre organ.

If you haven't been to the venue before, it's worth knowing what you're walking into. The St Albans Organ Theatre on Camp Road is a musical museum as much as a concert hall. It houses a collection of mechanical self-playing instruments, including reproducing pianos, music boxes, Victorian hand-turned organettes, and the rare Mills Violano. Alongside those are four large Belgian dance organs and two working theatre pipe organs. The theatre runs a regular series of organ concerts and opens to the public on the second Sunday of the month from March to November, when all the working instruments are demonstrated. There's a shop on-site with souvenirs and CD recordings, and refreshments are available during the interval.

The concert starts at 15:00, with doors open from 14:30, so you've got plenty of time to get settled before the music begins. Tickets are £15 and available on the door. The venue is at 320 Camp Road, St Albans, AL1 5PE.