2009 Organ Competitions launched

Young organists from around the world are being invited to take part in the 25th International Organ Festival at St Albans.

The Festival will take place from 9th to 18th July 2009, and the organ competitions which are at its core were launched on Tuesday 15th April, by BBC presenter Graeme Kay in the presence of the Mayor of St Albans, Cllr. Kate Morris.

The Mayor of St Albans with Peter Hurford, Lesley King, Graeme Kay and David Titterington

 

Under recently appointed artistic director David Titterington, the world-renowned Interpretation competition will include a new work commissioned from the leading British composer John Casken. Another innovation is the introduction of an ensemble work for organ and percussion, Landscapes of Patmos, by the Czech composer Petr Eben.

To mark the 25th Festival, a prize is being instituted in honour of the event's founder, Dr Peter Hurford OBE, internationally renowned concert organist and former Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral. The £1,000 prize, for the best performance of works by J S Bach in any round of the competition, has been jointly donated by organ builders Harrison & Harrison, who are currently rebuilding the Cathedral Organ, and Peter Collins, the builder of the Organ Festival Society's own organ which is located in St Saviour's Church, St Albans.

David Titterington commented: 'From Peter Hurford's vision, over forty-six years ago, of establishing an international organ festival in the historic city of St Albans, with its great Abbey Church, has grown one of the most influential competitions of its kind in the world today. Little did he then realise that its influence and prestige would eventually launch the careers of some of the most distinguished organists of our time'.

The Interpretation competition is open to organists under 31, and the Improvisation competition, which runs in parallel, is open to those under 35. Applications have to be received by 14th March 2009. Recordings submitted by the applicants will form the basis for selecting those to be invited to St Albans in July 2009.

For more details, and to obtain a copy of the Competitions brochure, follow the competitions link. 

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New International Ambassador

 

We are delighted to announce that the distinguished Swiss organist, Lionel Rogg, has been appointed an Ambassador to the International Organ Festival Society

 

 

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Contacts

 

You may click on these links to contact the Artistic Director

or the Chairman.

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IOFS

Members Awayday to Woburn on Saturday 7 June 2008

Members have an opportunity to spend a day in this attractive Georgian village, to visit the spectacular church, to hear and, if you wish, play its excellent organ, and including the option of a guided tour of Woburn Abbey. See the Members Page for more details.

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Restoration of the Harrison & Harrison organ in St Albans Cathedral

You can now read a description of the current restoration of the St Albans Cathedral organ, written by Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music. 

 

 

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