Each year the URC in Low Row celebrates its origins with the Smarber Festival Weekend at the beginning of May. This includes a walk to the remains of the 1690 Chapel on the fell side, where a short service is held, and also a concert and supper on the Saturday evening. This year the concert had a special focus: it also celebrated the recent rebuilding by Lightbown's of Morpeth of the church's unique Roy Huntingford organ. The Secretary Edward Brown gave a warm welcome to Norman Huntingford, son of the original builder, who was able to be present with his family. It doesn't often happen that the first note sung is a bottom G, but bass singer Richard Brickstock dealt with this admirably in the setting of "Abide with me" that was part of the original service of dedication in April 1924: Samuel Liddle, who wrote this version, was Dame Clara Butt's accompanist, and it was probably sung by a contralto at that service. Other items also featuring in 1924 were three organ pieces by Henry Smart and J. Valley Roberts, played here by George Lundberg. The 1924 congregation would have been amazed by the rest of the programme, moving as it did from Grand Opera to Hoagy Carmichael, but as usual it showed local talent at its best and delighted a large and appreciative audience. Val MacConachie, soprano, and Paul Smith, tenor, both much in demand as soloists in the area, showed the amazing range and flexibility of their voices. Paul sang Handel's delicate "Waft her, angels" and also dramatic solos from Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. Val also sang an oratorio piece from Handel, "O had I Jubal's Lyre" and Pamina's lovely aria from "The Magic Flute". A sombre note was sounded when Richard Brickstock dedicated his singing of Sullivan's "The Lost Chord" to his friend and colleague Dr Clive Preece. A former Senior Lecturer in Engineering at Durham University, Clive was a regular attender at the URC in Low Row and sang in earlier concerts. It was his enthusiasm that made it possible to raise the funds for the re-building of the organ. He also researched the history of Roy Huntingford's firm in Walthamstow and has left the church a record of it in words and pictures. Sadly his untimely death in 2006 happened just before the restoration work started. The song, one of Clive's favourites, was beautifully sung and a moving tribute. There was a further variety of musical items performed with panache and professional zest by Victoria, Rebecca and Emma Lundberg. Victoria, unable to play brass because of a shoulder injury, nevertheless gave a stunningly athletic performance of John Baston's recorder Concerto no. 6. Rebecca played "Stardust" on the trombone and Emma "Feeling mellow" by Tony Cliff on the flugel. The climax featured Emma on the trumpet, Rebecca with trombone and George on the organ in the trumpet movement from John Stanley's Opus 5 Voluntary 1. With this rousing statement from the organ loft, there could be no doubt of another 80 years at least of musical vigour here. Thanks are due to Duncan Bythell, who accompanied the singers, and also with George Lundberg both organised this successful event and showed the paces of the re-conditioned organ. The ladies of the church as ever provided a delicious feast afterwards. This article was originally published in the Northern Echo on May 11th 2007