World-renowned musicians pull out all the stops for music festival weekend

World-renowned musicians pull out all the stops for music festival weekend

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Friday, April 15 – Sunday, April 17, King’s College Chapel – details to follow


Three of the world’s leading performers on early keyboard instruments will take part in an international festival this weekend to mark the end of a unique musical project at the University of Aberdeen.

Gramophone Award winner Davitt Moroney, whose concert career has taken him all over the world, will open the Festival of Organs and Virginals on Friday (April 15) with a Celebrity Recital featuring music by Byrd, at 7.45pm.

The weekend of events marks the culmination of the Early English Organ Project residency which has been running at the University of Aberdeen since January 2005 and has given music lovers and organ enthusiasts a rare opportunity to see and hear two magnificent reconstructed instruments in the 16th century setting of King’s College Chapel.

The Festival, which runs until Sunday (April 17), celebrates the end of the organs’ three-month reign at the University. The organs will be joined by a replica of a 16th century English virginals and a harpsichord of the same period, providing a unique opportunity to explore keyboard repertoire on the instruments of the period.

Distinguished performer Davitt Moroney will be joined by leading scholars in the field for a feast of early keyboard music. Dutch musician Pieter Dirksen will travel from The Netherlands to perform a recital at 6pm on Saturday (April 16) with music by Preston, Blitheman, Byrd and Bull. Internationally renowned musician Rachelle Taylor will make the transatlantic journey from Canada to perform a recital at 2pm on Sunday (April 17) with keyboard works by Tallis. Each recital will last about an hour.

The festival forms part of the Symposium of Early English Keyboards – an international conference hosted by the Music Research Group in association with University Music.

Dr David Smith, Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Aberdeen and leader of the Early English Organ Project, said: “We have three truly exceptional musicians performing for us this weekend.

“The range of sounds available from the four instruments that will be available is considerable and will make for attractive and varied programmes. What makes these recitals special is that we can hear early English repertoire played on both organs and harpsichords appropriate for the repertoire.”

The arrival of the two 16th century English organs at Aberdeen has recreated a wall of sound from hundreds of years ago and has been the only residency in the UK to attract the best performers and scholars from around the world. Highlights have included a series of high profile events including the eminent Bach scholar John Butt and visits by the Royal College of Organists and the Royal School of Church Music. Local musicians and school pupils have also had the chance to explore the instruments and to use them to spark creativity in improvisation and composition.

The Early English Organ Project residency is sponsored by the Scottish Arts Council, Aberdeen City Council, Grampian Housing Association, the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Royal Netherlands Consulate.

Tickets for this weekend’s three celebrity recitals, which will all be held in King’s College Chapel, University of Aberdeen, are priced £5.00 and are available by contacting June Rhind at University Music on (01224) 272570, or e-mail: j.rhind@abdn.ac.uk, or on the door.

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