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£950,000 lottery award for Royal Festival Hall organ
17 June 2010
The restoration of the Royal Festival Hall organ gets green light© Morley Von Sternberg
The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of £950,000 to Southbank Centre towards the restoration and reinstallation of the Royal Festival Hall organ, it was announced today.
The 1954 Grade 1-listed Harrison & Harrison organ was taken out in 2005 in preparation for the restoration of the Royal Festival Hall; when the Hall reopened in 2007, only one-third of the instrument was replaced. The completion and reinstallation of the remaining two-thirds - with almost 5,000 pipes of the organ's full complement of 7,710 - will be the final piece of the jigsaw in the architectural centrepiece of Sir Leslie Martin’s concert auditorium.
Harrison & Harrison will carry out the work, which is expected to be completed in time for the organ's 60th anniversary in 2014.
A complementary community learning and engagement programme will enable people of all ages to experience the organ for free. These will include an organ scholar placement, free monthly recitals in partnership with the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music, and provision for two new apprentices to work with Harrison & Harrison.
Southbank Centre chief executive Alan Bishop said:
'I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for their significant contribution to the full restoration of the great organ of the Royal Festival Hall for the next generation. This is a major boost ahead of our fundraising campaign, which we will launch in September, announcing how the public can also support the completion of the organ project.'
George Benjamin and Karl Jenkins honoured by Queen
15 June 2010
Composer Karl Jenkins: honoured by HRH The Queen© Eric Richmond
Terence Alan Clarke, Assistant Headteacher and Arts Co-ordinator, Langley School, Solihull (for services to education)
Ms Alison Joan Wenham, Chairman and chief executive, Association of Independent Music (for services to the Creative Industries)
Nicholas McGegan, Conductor and Musicologist (for services to Music overseas)
Ian Ralfini, former General manager and vice president, EMI Manhattan Records, USA (for services to the Music Industry and charitable activities in the UK and USA)
MBEs were awarded to:
David Keith Young, conductor, Dublin Welsh Male Choir (for services to Welsh Music and Culture overseas)
Derek William Barr, former chief executive, Fairfield Halls, Croydon (for services to Music and to the Arts)
Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Houghton (for voluntary service to Choral Music in Cambridgeshire)
Philip Julian Kelsall, Resident Organist, Tower Ballroom, Blackpool (for services to Music)
London's 18th-century organs
6 May 2010
The 1735 Bridge organ in Christ Church Spitalfields
An 18th-century London organs all-day bus tour is being organised by the Friends of Christ Church Spitalfields in Wednesday 9 June, led by Dr William McVicker, organ curator at Southbank Centre. Participants will visit three significant architectural venues and to explore the organs installed in them: the 1735 Bridge organ in the fine Hawksmoor church of Christ Church Spitalfields; the recently restored 1704 Renatus Harris in St Botolph Aldgate; and the newly restored 1760 George England instrument in Dulwich College Chapel.
The total cost is £75 per person (£65 for paid-up Supporters). Contact 020 7859 3035, friends@christchurchspitalfields.org.
Volcano cancels organ course
20 April 2010
The Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies has been compelled to postpone the courses due to be given by Lionel Rogg on 23 and 24 April. It is unknown whether Professor Rogg would be able to travel to Cambridge from Switzerland in time for the classes. The Academy hopes to reschedule the event later this year; an update will be given on the Academy's website: www.cambridgeorganacademy.org
Wells Cathedral Summer Organ Festival is announced
31 March 2010
The Wells Cathedral Summer Organ Festival (10 June – 9 September) this year hosts John Scott and Martin Baker to play the 1857 Willis organ.
Scott, Organist at St Thomas Church, New York, gives the Andrew Norman Memorial Recital, performing works by a varied list of composers from Mendelssohn and Bach to Belgian composer Joseph Jongen and American William Bolcom (1 July). Baker is currently Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral and details of his programme for his appearance (9 September) are as yet unavailable.
Jonathan Vaughn, the Cathedral's Assistant Organist, will open the festival with a programme of music 'from the last forty years' to include Howells, Guy Bovet and James MacMillan (10 June); and Matthew Owens, Wells's Organist, will play Bach, Pachelbel, Franck and Dupré (5 August).
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