• 30Jul
    Categories: Notices

    Organ talks organized by Gresham College
    Catholics versus Protestants: How liturgy affected the development of the organ
    Speakers:   Richard  Townend,  Birger Marmvik

    St Margaret Lothbury 16 September 2010 6pm
    www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=1102

    Pedalling ahead with Mendelssohn: The German revolution in English organ technology
    Speakers:   Robert  Quinney,  Robert Smith

    Church of St Mary-at-Hill EC3   6 October 2010 6pm
    www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=1105

    From Trocadero to Troxy: A tradition returns
    Speaker:   John Abson,  Richard Hills FRCO

    Barnard’s Inn Hall 9 June 2011 6pm
    www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=1124

    You should confirm details of the event closer to the time from
    www.gresham.ac.uk/events.asp?PageId=45 using Search by Time Period
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  • 25Jul
    Categories: Notices

    11th Marcello Galanti
    International Organ Competition
    2-3 October 2010
    Mondaino (Italy)

    The beginning, more than 100 years ago:
    Italy, at the end of the nineteenth century, was a country with an economy based mainly on agriculture, but slowly, industry was beginning to grow with the social and economic changes. In a small village called Mondaino, in the region of Romagna, Antonio Galanti lived with his family, and earned his living travelling to towns and villages with his Merry-go-Round, bringing pleasure through music to the local inhabitants. But music was his real passion and he devoted much of his time to designing and developing the first Galanti musical accordion.
    Electronic Musical Instruments:
    In 1959, Antonio’s nephew’s sons, one of whom was Marcello, established a new company heralding the entry of Galanti musical expertise into electronic musical instruments. Ahead of the times as usual, they developed and built the first electronic organ to be made in Italy. The first technology used sound generators with neon lights, then followed transistors and integrated circuits, until the present day of “PCM” and “modelling” working on DSP. In 1969, Marcello left his brothers and founded Intercontinental Electronics S.p.A., to devote himself to the manufacturing of electronic classic organs. Initially, technical and sales exertions were directed especially towards the Dutch and American markets, where organ culture was more widespread. The company created an interest and desire for musical accomplishment, and its highly technical and sophisticated instruments were much in demand by its many buyers.
    Viscount International SpA
    Sadly, in 1999 Marcello died. However, his son Mauro and his daughter Loriana continued to develop the company. The present Viscount company represents a unique example of engineering and musical instrument production in Europe. There are many reasons behind the worldwide success of Viscount classic organs, recognised everywhere as among the best sounding instruments. First of all the unique experience in electronic organ sound, beginning with analogue, through the digital era (Viscount was among the very first to produce PCM classic organs) down to the physical modelling of the pipes; the worldwide contact network in the different cultural fields from Baroque to Romantic, from French to German styles; the wide library of sounds in all areas; all this makes every Viscount organ a real state of the art specimen. Viscount is the only classic organ manufacturer currently producing instruments with both the available types of technology: Sampling (PCM) and Pipe Acoustics Modelling (Accupipe), offering in each case the right instrument for the best artist.
    Andrea Angelini, Director of the Competition

    The Rules
    The Viscount Organ Company, Church Organ Department together with the Musical Association Musica Ficta, with the Patronage of the Emilia Romagna Region, the Province of Rimini, and Mondaino Town Council, is pleased to present the Eleventh “Marcello Galanti” International Organ Competition (MGIOC).
    1. The Competition will be held at the Auditorium of the Former Galanti Brothers Musical Instruments Factory, a historic building in Mondaino, Province of Rimini, Italy, on the 2 and 3 October 2010.
    2. The Competition is open to organists of any nationality who are under 37 years of age on 2 October 2010.
    THE JUDGES
    3. For the year 2010 there will be five judges, of both Italian and other nationalities.
    4. A written report shall be made at each performance for each competitor, and shall be approved and signed by each of the judges. These final reports will be public property, and may be examined on request at the Secretary’s Office.
    PERFORMANCE
    5. The Competition shall consist of two stages: a Preliminary Selection, to be held on 2 October 2010, and a Final Selection, to be held on 3 October 2010.
    6. A maximum number of seven (7) competitors shall be admitted to the Final Selection.
    7. Each competitor shall be required to exhibit proof of identity before his/her performance. For the Final Selection of the Competition, each competitor must supply five copies of the musical scores of their chosen programme. These copies cannot be returned.
    8. The winners of the Competition shall take part in a concert, to be held on the afternoon of 3 October 2010, where they will be expected to perform a repertoire long no more than 15 minutes different from that one presented for the Final Selection of the Competition. This repertoire will be discussed with the Artistic Director after having sent the application. All winners will be required to wear formal dress when performing in this concert.
    9. All performances shall be public. A person supplied by the Organization may help the Competitor with registration choices and turn pages. Competitors shall not be permitted to have any contact with the judges during the period dating from their arrival in Mondaino until the end of the Competition.
    JUDGES’ EVALUATION AND DECISION
    10. The judges shall award marks from 1 to 10 (including fractions) at the end of each performance.
    11. The final mark for each performance shall be the mathematical average obtained from the sum of the marks of all the judges. In order to establish the final score, the average of the preliminary selection shall be added to the average of the second selection.
    12. The judges reserve the right not to award any prize.
    HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION
    13. Organists wishing to take part in the Competition must send by registered mail, fax or e-mail, the following documents, to arrive no later than Saturday 7 August 2010:
    - A copy of the Enrolment Form, duly completed in all parts;
    - Receipt of the payment for application (50 Euros)
    - A complete Curriculum Vitae (in English and/or Italian);
    - One passport-size photograph; another one, in digital format, has to be sent by e-mail;
    - A photocopy of Passport or Identity Card;
    - A programme of the music chosen for the final selection;
    14. The senders of the first 16 complete entry requisites shall be admitted to the Competition, subject to approval by the Artistic Direction. Candidates may not take part in Competition more than twice.
    15. Entry to the Competition is subject to the payment of a fee of 50 Euros. (See at the bottom of the page) The Organisation will offer (completely free of charge) two nights’ bed and breakfast at a hotel in Cattolica - on the Adriatic Riviera - to all competitors plus a contribution of 100 Euros for travel expenses. The winners will be guests also for Sunday night, 3 October. The Organization will also provide for lunch on Saturday and Sunday (buffet) and dinner on Sunday. A free private bus service will be available between the hotel and the Competition venue.
    PRIZES
    16. The three competitors with the highest marks shall receive the following prizes:
    · First Prize: 3.000 US Dollars, a gold medal, a prize-winner’s certificate and one or more concerts in Italy.
    · Second Prize: 2.000 US Dollars, a silver medal, and a prize-winner’s certificate.
    · Third Prize: 1.000 US Dollars, a silver medal, and a prize-winner’s certificate.
    · Special Prize “Marcello Galanti”: 250 US Dollars plus the “Town of Mondaino” Prize, awarded to one of the three winners for the best performance of the Sunday afternoon concert. The winner of this prize will be chosen by the audience at the concert.
    All the competitors who reach the Final Selection shall receive a Certificate of Merit.
    17. In the case of a tie, the prize shall be divided equally between the tied competitors.
    18. Any prizes not collected at the final prize-giving ceremony shall be available to the winners for one year after the end of the Competition (apply to the Secretary’s Office). Prizes must be collected personally; under no circumstances will prizes be sent.
    FURTHER INFORMATION
    19. In case of any controversy concerning the Rules of Entry, reference shall be made to the Italian text of the said Rules.
    20. Competitors wishing to try out the organ before the Competition must apply in writing to the Secretary’s Office, and will be permitted to use the organ on the day preceding the Competition, Friday 1 October 2010, according with the timetable that will be sent to all the Competitors the week before the Competition.
    21. Where recordings are made, including recordings for radio and/or television, competitors shall not receive any payment from the organisers of the Competition.
    22. Entry to the Competition is dependent on unconditional acceptance of all the Rules.
    PROGRAMME
    a) For the Preliminary Selection:
    Competitors shall be required to play the following compulsory pieces:
    - J.C.F. Fischer: Chaconne in F
    - J.S. Bach: Fugue in G Major BWV 577
    - S.S. Wesley: Choral Song and Fugue
    b) For the Final Selection:
    - A programme lasting not less than twenty (20) and not more than twenty-five (25) minutes, chosen by the competitor, different from that of the preliminary selection. Subsequent to the application entry a competitor may not change his repertoire nor the order in which it will be played.
    THE COMPETITION ORGAN
    This will be a Viscount “UNICO” Electronic Organ with 3 keyboards (61 keys) and a radial-concave pedal board (32 notes). A straight and a straight-concave pedal boards will also be available on request.

    Competition Dates:

    2-3 October 2010
    Mondaino (Italy)

    Contact details:

    Secretary Office:
    Viale Pascoli 23-g - 47900 Rimini (italy)
    info@concorsomarcellogalanti.org
    www.concorsomarcellogalanti.org

    Tel: +39 347 2573878
    Fax: +39 02700425984

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  • 16Jul
    Categories: Notices

    BBC Consultation Survey
    Have you ever thought of letting the BBC know what you think about the coverage of Organ Music on the Radio?

    Well now’s your chance!

    Why not visit bbc.co.uk/bbc trust and, in the nicest possible way, take part in the BBC Consultation Survey? But hurry! The closing date is 26 August 2010.

    Peter Chatfield
    IAO General Secretary

    This has been circulated by the IAO but non members reading this site can also contribute their thoughts.

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  • 15Jul
    Categories: Notices

    Organ bench required for adult lady pupil. If anyone can help please contact Jill Harris direct at jillrharris1@yahoo.co.uk or John Webber via the SSLSO website.

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  • 04Jul
    Categories: Notices

    St Peters Limpsfield

    Organ Recital

    Friday 16 July 2010 7.30pm

    Admission £8 on the door

    Daniel Moult
    (Organist, St Peters Eaton Square,
    Tutor, St Giles International Organ School)

    Concerto in F (Op 4, No 4)                    Handel arr WT Best
    Fuga in d                                J S Bach
    Vespers Voluntaries 3 & 4                    Sir Edward Elgar
    Sonata No 4                             Felix Mendelssohn

    INTERVAL

    Sonata No 2                                Paul Hindemith
    Variations sur un thème de Clément Janequin        Jehan Alain
    Miroir                                Ad Wammes
    Brumba                                Paul Patterson

    Daniel Moult has an active career as a concert organist and organ tutor and has gained a reputation as a leading organist of his generation. Born in Manchester, Daniel studied at Oxford (where he gained the Fellowship diploma of the Royal College of Organists with three of the top playing prizes and was jointly awarded the University of Oxford John Betts Organ Scholarship) and the Amsterdam Conservatorium (with Jacques van Oortmerssen). Previous posts have included visiting organ tutor at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester and seven years as Organist and Assistant Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral.
    Daniel is now based in London where he has a busy freelance career. He performs throughout the UK in many major concert series, venues and festivals, with an eclectic repertoire stretching from the fourteenth century to the present day. He appears frequently on BBC Radio and TV and has recorded as soloist and accompanist for various record labels and for Radio Netherlands. A sought-after organ tutor, he teaches at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, Birmingham Conservatoire and St Giles’ International Organ School, London.

    He is in frequent demand for master classes and workshops, including regular visits to courses and days run by the RCO, RSCM and IAO. Passionate about promoting the organ to a wider audience, Daniel has also been involved in various outreach projects. These have included working for the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester as organ animateur (where thousands of children have heard the organ in popular concerts) and other events across the UK and in Australia. In addition to examining for the ABRSM and the RCO, his articles on performance practice and performance-related topics have appeared in various organ journals. He is also Artistic Director of the London Organ Day.

    Recent and forthcoming engagements include profile concerts for various series and organist societies in the UK and Australia, a tour of Switzerland and France with the Kammerorchester Basel (as soloist in a Handel Organ Concerto), choir accompaniments for concerts, services and BBC broadcasts, directing and tutoring on various national organ courses and the launch of three recordings (two DVDs of virtuosic twentieth-century repertoire and earlier English repertoire with Fugue State Films and a CD of the Handel/Basel project on the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi label).
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  • 23Jun
    Categories: Notices


    Saturday 26 June 1100-1530 at St. Giles International Organ School

     

    Charity Fair of Used and New Organ Music

     

    We have a huge sale of organ music, books and recordings in aid of charity* - an ideal opportunity to find out-of-print music, to amplify your music library at minimal cost and to explore hundreds of pieces.

    This year’s sale is boosted by many exciting donations, including a large quantity of excellent new music, all at knock-down prices.

    Entrance is free, and do bring organ music and CDs for us to sell, if you like.

    (*the money raised helps to fund the maintenance of the church’s three pipe organs, all of which enjoy daily use)

    St. Giles Cripplegate Church

    Fore Street

    Barbican

    LONDON

    EC2Y 8DA

    Nearest stations: Moorgate, St. Paul’s.

    The church is opposite the Barbican Centre, across the lake.

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    WESTMINSTER ABBEY SUMMER ORGAN FESTIVAL 2010

    Tuesdays at 7.00 pm, 13 July to 10 August

    Westminster Abbey is the imposing setting for five concerts by some of the world’s leading organists. The versatility of the Abbey’s magnificent five-manual Harrison and Harrison organ will be explored in a fascinating range of music spanning six centuries.

     

    13 July: Thomas Trotter performs works by Bach, Bairstow, Ketelbey, Goss-Custard, Coates, Stravinsky, and Katya Kulkova

     

    20 July: John Scott performs works by Sweelinck, Bach, Schumann, Jongen, Howells, Alain, Jonathan Harvey, and Eugenio Maria Fagiani

     

    27 July: Robert Quinney performs works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Dvořák, Widor, Hindemith, and Tarik O’Regan

     

    3 August: James O’Donnell performs works by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, and Franck

     

    10 August: James McVinnie performs works by Byrd, Bach, Handel, Widor, Willan, Berveiller, and Alain

     

    TICKETS
    Single tickets £10 (concessions £7)
    Season tickets £40 (concessions £28)
    Available from Westminster Abbey Shop and on the door (doors open 6.15 pm)
    Book online at www.westminster-abbey.org/shop

    Further information is available from www.westminster-abbey.org

    Organ details from the NPOR at:

    www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N00646

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    Monteverdi Vespers at Southwark Cathedral this Saturday 26 June 2010 at Southwark Cathedaral, London Bridge, SE1.

    London Early Opera Orchestra, the Cathedral Girls choir and New Renaissance Voices will be joining forces to celebrate the 400th anniversary of this stunning music originally written in 1610. Concert starts at 7pm and tickets are £15, available on the door.

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