THE music of a bygone era is being revived at a Leigh school after their newest and rather special instrument was unveiled.

Pupils at Eastwood School, in Rayleigh Road, will be able to discover the complexities of the theatre organ, the instrument which provided accompaniment to films at the cinema before “talkies” and official soundtracks became the norm.

Bought after the school’s electronic organ went up in smoke during a rehearsal, the £41,000 organ will become an integral part of the Kings Music School, which is based at Eastwood.

David Stanley, assistant headteacher at Eastwood, masterminded the purchase of the organ, and has high hopes for the instrument.

“Several schools have church organs, but none have a theatre organ, and this instrument is already causing quite a stir in the organ world.

“This is a totally unique project. My vision is to use this instrument to lead a renaissance in theatre organ playing among young people.”

Mr Stanley will be teaching pupils aged 11 to 18 how to play the instrument, and he hopes some pupils will progress to the point where they can take theatre organ exams, as well as using their studies of the instrument for their GCSE and A-level qualifications.

“This is a great opportunity for a whole new generation to discover the wonderful theatre organ sound,” said Mr Stanley.

“The organ is not in a museum or in a church. It is not in an inaccessible bingo hall or a darkened theatre. It is in a place of education where the children can be taught how to play it for themselves.”

Made by the Allen Organ Company, based in Pennsylvania, USA, the white and gold organ is the largest of its type in a UK concert venue, and was custom made for the school.

A modern replica of the original cinema organs, the instrument is far more versatile than a church organ, and uses speakers in place of pipes to produce its rich sound.

Mr Stanley said: “This is a real investment for the school and the future. The organ is still very relevant for the children, because you can play so many different styles of music on it.

“It is so versatile and it’s a real skill to be able to play it properly. The children will have the chance to learn something a bit different and they all love the sounds of the organ. It’s not up to us to say this instrument is too old fashioned to teach, we wanted to give the pupils that choice and they all love it.”

There are now plans for professional organ players to visit the school to give concerts and present masterclasses to pupils about the musical style and history of the instrument.

The first concert showcasing the organ will feature performances by Mr Stanley and Eastwood pupils, and is set to take place on January 10 next year.