International Organ Festival at St Albans

TEN days of world class music will be on offer in St Albans in July as part of a Festival of Summer Music presented by The International Organ Festival at St Albans.

And at the heart of the festival will be the renowned competitions for young organists which bring competitors from around the world to the city. Leading artists at this year’s festival will include outstanding British soprano Dame Felicity Lott who will be performing in St Peter’s Church, St Albans on Sunday July 10 and Grammy nominated pianist Stephen Kovacevich who is due to appear at St Saviour’s Church, St Albans on Tuesday July 12.

Edward Elgar’s great work, The Dream of Gerontius, sung by the St Albans Bach Choir, and Mosaic Chamber Choir, and with soloists Catherine Wyn Rogers, Toby Spence and Stephen Roberts in St Albans Cathedral will be the first major concert of the festival.

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St Albans Cathedral Choir will be joined by the choirs of New College, Oxford and Winchester Cathedral for the now traditional Three Choirs concert on Monday July 11. The concert will include performances by His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts as well as the Lawes Chamber Orchestra and German organist and jury member Helmut Deutsch.

Four times national champion brass band, the Desford Colliery Band is set to appear in St Albans Cathedral on Wednesday July 13 under conductor Howard Snell for a showpiece concert in which they will be joined by organist Tom Winpenny for Widor’s Toccata and the finale of Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony No 3.

And at St Saviour’s Church, percussion group 4-Mality will be presenting a concert which includes Steve Reich’s Six Marimbas.

New venues for this year’s festival include the Dagnall Street Baptist Church and the historic St Michael’s Church, both in St Albans. The Baptist Church will see recitals by Liu Ji and the Thom String Quartet as well as cellist Guy Johnston with pianist Leon McCawley while a series of late night concerts featuring violinist Rachel Podger and harpsichordist Laurence Cummings will be staged at St Michaels.

In addition the organist members of the international jury, Simon Preston, Martin Jean, Daniel Roth, Bine Katrine Bryndorf and Tong-Soon Kwak will give concerts during the festival, while Richard Morrison, Chief music critic of The Times, will give a lecture on the highs and lows of being a music critic. Other events include a Tudor Day, and an art exhibition at Kingsbury Barn.

More information, including complete programme and booking details is available at www.organfestival.com