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7 November 2026
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5*****
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Using two of his major skillsets; DJ-ing and playing the pipe organ, Matt Walters aka Reductio, has created a show which almost defies description. Performed in a centuries old church building where two Saxon kings are buried, the melodic organ gives way to the kick and baseline you would associate with the techno music of club and rave. Then, out of nowhere, we hear the angelic voice of a boy soprano with Mendelssohn’s ‘Hear My Prayer’, specifically the words ‘Oh for the wings of a dove’ which rises above the beat beneath, as the organ continues. I doubt Sherborne Abbey has ever heard the like before.
With two 45 minute sets, Walters provides something akin to a duet of symphonies which fill the not inconsiderable space of the Abbey, and he does it by himself. Creating the recorded backing tracks represents an incredible achievement in itself and while he is playing live, he is also mixing the two sound sources. Nothing is missed by the audience who can see exactly what is happening in the very tight space of the organ loft via a live video feed to a screen in front of the chancel. It is mesmerising and somewhat exhausting to watch. Closing the eyes you are whisked into a world where this genre clash is sublime, jaw-dropping and deeply emotional.
In a first half, Walter’s own compositions segues neatly into that of Fink or Ludovico Einaudi and after a brief interval another of his works is followed by Barber’s Adagio and Bach’s Toccata in D Minor – all with an underscoring of the here and now. It is the cultural marriage which is the true success of what Walter’s achieves – it is significant and immediate, it is both brave and breaking new ground, it is both radical and yet has an appeal which transfixes a wide-ranging demographic.
Hans Zimmer’s ‘Time’ transforms to the performer’s version of ‘Veni Veni Emmanuel’, the Christian advent hymn; in calling his performance, ‘Revival Sacred’, Walters is keen to emphasise that with his compositions he is paying due respect to the sacred nature of the surroundings as well as the original music. In doing so, there is no doubt that he is elevating it in a truly original and uplifting fashion.
For a while now, Matt has been collaborating with Allen Organs and they will be working even closer together in the near future. At Sherborne, Allen Organs provides the sound system which ensures that the music reaches everywhere, from the toes on your feet to every crevice in the magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling.
I have been following the progress of Matt Walters for over three years and seen him progress from his first public concert in 2023 to the here and now. As talented and original a musician as I have seen and with so much more to come.  ‘Revival Sacred’ is a phenomenal piece of work. Don’t miss the chance of seeing this multi-tasking talent at work – he is as good as it gets and this concert, well, it will blow you away.
PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Walters in rehearsal at Sherborne Abbey – Photo by Paul Smith
