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Instructor: Michael Dirk
Bouncy Castle Organ Extravaganza
Kitsilano Music Soars to New Heights
Vancouver, BC – August, 2018 – Redshift Music Society and Holy Trinity Anglican Church present the Bouncy Castle Organ Extravaganza, a public event for all ages on August 25, 2018, 10am-2pm. For the first time ever, organ pipes ranging from eight inches to eight feet in length will be powered by a bouncy castle. Beach balls, air mattresses, and balloon animals will also be on hand, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own inflatables.
Throughout the day, several tours of the historic church will be given, including performances and demonstrations on Holy Trinity’s heritage Casavant organ Opus 485 (1912). Members of the Royal Canadian College of Organists will be on hand to answer questions and provide demonstrations of how organ pipes produce sound.
“Anything that creates enough wind can power a pipe organ… I’ve never heard of anyone using a bouncy castle, but I think we can make that work, that’s a great idea!”
-David Quinton, organ builder and technician
Background
The Redshift Music Society was founded in 2001 in Vancouver, with a focus on bringing the music of contemporary Canadian composers to the general public through unique musical events, mostly in public venues.
For the last five years, a primary cornerstone of Redshift productions has been the Vertical Orchestra. Situated in the beautiful, reverberant atrium of the Vancouver Public Library, musicians are spread throughout seven levels, creating a unique, captivating soundscape. Vertical Orchestra 2008, presented with the support of VANOC as part of the Cultural Olympiad, was by far our most successful event to date, attracting hundreds of people from all walks of life. In this respect, Vertical Orchestra is unquestionably one of Canada’s most successful new music events; Redshift brings the vitality and diversity of Canadian composers out of the concert hall, and directly to the public.
The Redshift Music Society is a registered non-profit organization, and is able to present many of its events thanks to the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the City of Vancouver, VANOC, the Spirit of B.C. Arts Fund, the BC Gaming Commission, the Canadian Music Centre, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Vancouver Public Library, Christ Church Cathedral, and The SOCAN Foundation.
For people in the Fraser Valley:
Aart Bijkerk, organist at the Free Reformed Church in Abbotsford, in concert.
Works by Dutch, Canadian, German and French composers.
This concert is part of the 90th Anniversary Celebration for CMUC and the memorial organ.
International prize-winning organist Neil Cockburn is currently Director of Music at the
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (Anglican) in Calgary. He was born in Scotland with musical
education taking place at Oxford University, Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the
Conservatoire National de Région Rueil-Malmaison in France and culminating with a PhD in musicology
from the University of Calgary. He has won numerous prestigious awards including first prize at the 1996 Dublin International Organ Competition and has performed and taught extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Dr. Cockburn’s diverse program will include works by Handel, Bach, Böhm,
Mendelssohn, Ropartz, Bolcom, Bales & Locklair.
The 90 year old organ at Canadian Memorial is a beautiful 42 rank, 3 manual instrument built by Casavant Frères (Opus 1269). Intriguingly the organ was gifted to the church by the people of the United States as a memorial to the 1500 American soldiers who died while serving in the Canadian Army during World War I.
Programme:
G.F. Handel (1685-1759) arr. Noel Rawsthorne
Overture to the Occasional Oratorio
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 657
J.S. Bach
Toccata in D minor, BWV 538
Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
Vater Unser im Himmelreich
J.S. Bach
Fugue in D minor, BWV 538
F. Mendelssohn (1809-47)
Andante with Variations
F. Mendelssohn
Allegro Choral and Fugue in D/d
Guy Ropartz (1864-1955)
Sortie in B-flat
William Bolcom (b. 1938) – American Composer
Gospel Prelude on Jesus Loves me
Gerald Bales (1919-2002) – Canadian Composer
Petite Suite
Calvin Hampton (1938-84) – American Composer
From Five Dances for Organ: “At the Ballet”
Dan Locklair (b. 1949) – American Composer
From Rubrics: “The Peace may be exchanged”
Eric Coates (1886-1957)
The Dam Busters March
Playing electronic/digital organs effectively, with particular focus on improving hymn playing.
A special opportunity for pianists and organists in Vancouver to encounter a wide variety of electronic instruments and learn how to better understand and navigate the technology.
In collaboration with the St. Andrew’s-Wesley Sacred Music Series
A Halloween themed event not to be missed! In a dark, neo-gothic church, the audience will see the silent movie “Habeus Corpus”, featuring Laurel and Hardy as hilariously incompetent grave robbers, with live, improvised organ accompaniment just like in the era of silent films. In addition, they will see and hear vampires, witches, zombies and other strange creatures performing music ranging from Bach’s famous D minor Toccata to themes from Star Wars and Phantom of the Opera, complemented by eerie readings and ghostly decorations. Halloween themed treats for everyone following the concert. Costumes encouraged!
Participating organists: Rachel Alflatt, Michael Dirk, Tamar Genossar, Huiyuan Ma, John Mitchell, Darryl Nixon, Edward Norman, Gail Ovington, Angelique Po, and Michael Park
Free admission, donations accepted.
Underground pay parking available off the alley on the opposite side of the church to Nelson.
St John’s Shaughnessy will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of dedication of their mighty Hallman pipe organ with a choral evensong (Ann Chen, Choirmaster), including works by Healey Willan (1880 – 1968), and festive organ voluntaries (Michael Dirk, organist). A revitalization campaign was launched last year which promises exciting renewal for one of Canada’s most significant instruments. The Royal Canadian College of Organists will offer historical displays and organ loft tours with pipe demonstrations during the light refreshments provided following the service.
Concert information from RCCO member Darryl Nixon:
St. Andrew’s – Wesley Church is closing… for between 18 and 30 months! This is for a major restoration and seismic upgrading. As I will be without an instrument for about 2 years I thought I would play some repertory dear to my heart starting with the four opus13 Symphonies of Charles Marie Widor. The church is heavily booked, especially evenings, so I have chosen the unusual but available times of some Monday nights starting with October 29 and November 12. Here is the announcement:
The French Symphonic Organ:
Organ Symphonies of Charles Marie Widor opus 13
-October 29… 7pm Symphonies 1 and 2.
-November 12… 7pm Symphonies 3 and 4
St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church, Vancouver
Burrard at Nelson
Entrance (and exit) by donation
Performance may be projected on front screen
Organ–60 stop Huestis/Casavant
Darryl Nixon-organist
Works by Handel, Buxtehude, Bach, Mozart, Gardonyi, Göttsche, Mushel. More info to come.
Marc D’Anjou will perform a unique programme in which the audience will take part in choosing the pieces Marc will perform! This concert is a 2 part concert in conjunction with Holy Rosary Cathedral where Marc will also be performing on Friday, November 9 at 8PM.
Programme:
1st choice:
Louis-Nicolas Clerambault : 4 extracts Suite du 1er ton
Louis-Nicolas Clerambault :4 extracts Suite du 2eme ton
2nd choice:
Diderik Buxtehude: Chorale prelude: “In dulci jubilo” BuxWV 52
Diderik Buxtehude: Chorale prelude: “Komm, Heiliger Geist” BuxWV 199
3rd choice:
Diderik Buxtehude: Prelude, Fugue and Ciacona in C BuxWV 137
Diderik Buxtehude: Prelude and Fugue in G minor BuxWV 149
4th choice:
Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale prelude: “Nun Komm’ der Heiden Heiland” BWV 659
Johann Sebastian Bach: Chorale prelude: “O Mensch, Bewein’ dein’ Sünde gross” BWV 622
5th choice:
Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 549
Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533
6th choice:
Denis Bedard: Toccata sur “Victimae Paschali”
Denis Bedard: Toccata sur “Il est ne”
7th choice:
Charles Marie Widor: Andante cantabile (4th Symphony, Op. 13 No. 4)
Charles Marie Widor: Adagio (2nd Symphony, Op. 13 No. 2)
8th choice:
Louis Vierne: Final (1st Symphony, Op. 14)
Louis Vierne: Carillon de Westminster (Pieces de fantaisie, Op. 54)
Marc D’Anjou has been principal organist of the Quebec City Cathedral Basilica since 1993, except for two years (2010 – 2012) as music director at South Burnaby United Church, and music director at the Cathedral-Basilica since 2015. Having won the national organ finals in the junior category of the Baldwin Competition in Toronto in 1980, he graduated from the Rimouski Conservatory of Music with first class honours in 1986 and continued his studies in Paris. He has given many concerts in Canada and abroad, including more than a dozen organ inaugurations, and has participated in several improvisation matches in Quebec and in France. In 2009 he toured Ecuador, giving five concerts. He has recorded for the CBC’s French network, including the first ever radio recording of the works of Édouard Commette, works which he recorded on CD in 1997.