St Albans International Organ Competitions: Improvisation Quarter-Final

The biennial St Albans International Organ Competitions celebrate 60 years since their foundation in 1963 by Peter Hurford. Outstanding organists aged 33 and under from across the world will compete for Interpretation and Improvisation prizes.

A presentation of Awards and Prize-Winners’ Recital on Saturday 15 July at 11am in the Cathedral will bring the 60th anniversary competitions to a conclusion.

The Improvisation Competition, played on the Harrison & Harrison organ of St Albans Cathedral, provides a fascinating test for creative and fast-thinking organists, competing for the Tournemire Prize of £8,000. In this Quarter Final, each performer will play Bengt Hambraeus’s Extempore and a free-form improvisation based on harmonic and textural extracts from Tournemire’s L’Orgue Mystique.

Date and Time | Wednesday 5 July, 7.30pm - 10.30pm - please ensure you select the correct date and time from the drop down menu below.

Cost | £15 (unreserved seating), free admission for under 18s, students in full-time education (on production of ID) and for companions.

If you are accompanying a person with a disability or access requirements, or are booking a ticket for someone who is accompanying you, please select the companion ticket at checkout. Only one companion ticket is permitted per transaction.

Competition Season Tickets are available for £150 (all rounds, including Improvisation and Interpretation Finals: £10 per event, a saving of £75). To buy a season ticket, select any one of the 15 sessions and then choose the season ticket option.