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Canadian concert organist Aaron Tan is the first organist to have won all three major North American organ competitions, winning First Prizes at the American Guild of Organists 2018 National Young Artist Competition in Organ Performance, the RCCO’s National Organ Playing Competition, and the 2021 Canadian International Organ Competition. In partnership with the Canadian International Organ Competition, Aaron will be making his Vancouver debut at St. Andrew’s-Wesley on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 7:00 pm. Come hear this spectacular young organist play at one of the largest organs in our city!
More info about Aaron Tan here and see below.
Concert programme: “Voices from the Past and Present”
Fernando Germani – Toccata, op. 12
Judith Weir – Wild Mossy Mountains
Georg Böhm – Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele
Sigfrid Karg-Elert – Ave Maria, from Cathedral Windows, Op. 106
Dieterich Buxtehude – Praeludium in E, BuxWV142
Jeanne Demessieux – Lumière, from 7 Méditations sur le Saint Esprit, Op. 6
Henri Duparc (trans. Tan) – Aux étoiles
Louis Vierne – Final, from Symphonie No. 5
Aaron Tan is a Canadian organist, engineer, and pianist. He has won numerous noteworthy contests and scholarships on both instruments including First Prize at the 2021 Canadian International Organ Competition as well as First Prize and Audience Prize at the prestigious AGO National Young Artists (NYACOP) competition in 2018. Other competition prizes and awards include the Toronto RCCO Young Organists Competition, the Osborne Organ Competition of the Summer Institute of Church Music (Ontario), the RCCO’s National Organ Playing Competition, the Charlotte Hoyt Bagnall Scholarship for Church Musicians, the Lilian Forsyth Scholarship, the West Chester University Organ Competition, the Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition, the Sursa American Organ Competition, and the XVI Poland International Piano Festival Competition. His primary musical tutelage has been with John Tuttle, David Palmer and Joel Hastings.
Mr. Tan studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York and has served as Organ Scholar at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Detroit, Michigan, Artist in Residence at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit, Assistant Organist at Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Organ Scholar at the Church of the Resurrection, New York City. He is currently Director of Music at St. Alban’s Catholic Church in Rochester, New York.
Aaron also holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Michigan and worked there as a postdoctoral researcher after earning his degree, studying polymer thin films.
For the Organ’s specifications CLICK HERE
Come and sing favourite Psalms and Hymns from the Book of Praise (https://bookofpraise.ca/)
All songs will be introduced with beautiful preludes from well known composers.
Organ accompaniment by Aart Bijkerk and Nell Schouten.
Accompanied live on the Wurlitzer organ by Vancouver organist Koos van Nieuwkoop.
Info:https://vancouvercivictheatres.com/events/vct-silent-movie-mondays-nosferatu-oct-16-2023/
A scientist by day, Koos van Nieuwkoop spends his spare time playing and studying music. He studied piano with Herta Stoffels and completed his Associate Diploma (ARCT) in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2008. Koos studied classical organ with Rachel Alflatt, and served as a church organist for 15 years. Away from the keyboard, he develops software that enables organists to design and perform on their own custom virtual pipe organ. Over the past 10 years, Koos has spent countless hours exploring the endless possibilities of the theatre organ and is excited to share what he has learned through the voice of Vancouver’s very own Mighty Wurlitzer!
A festival of unusual and unexpected music for pipe organ featuring performances by Giulio Tosti, Elisa Ferrari / John Brennan / Bárbara Lázara, Sandra Boss, Blake Hargreaves, loscil / Lawrence English, gamut inc, and Sarah Davachi.
Programme and performers:
Toccata in D minor, BWV 565 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Gilles Parenteau
Désolation (Canadian Premiere) – Denis Bédard (b. 1950)
Denis Bédard
Introduction and Fugue in D minor, Op 62 – Franz Lachner (1803-1890)
Rachel Alflatt & Denis Bédard
Ballade, Op. 100, No. 15 – Friedrich Burgmüller (1806-1874)
Max Cifelli
Imperial March (from Star Wars) – John Williams (b. 1932), arr. J. Mark Baker
Isaac Howie
Fugue in D minor, WAB 125 – Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Huiyuan (Cindy) Ma
March of the Terrible Trolls – Linda Niamath (1939-2020)
Zenkay Harrison
This Is Halloween (from The Nightmare before Christmas) – Danny Elfman (b.1953), arr. Jannie Burdeti
Issa Harrison & Jannie Burdeti
Prelude in A minor, BWV 543 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Jannie Burdeti
Toccata (from Suite gothique, Op. 25) – Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
PJ Janson
Medley: The Phantom of the Opera & Jurassic Park – Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948), John Williams; arr. Michael Dirk
Michael Dirk
Lebhaft (from Organ Sonata No. 2) – Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
Jonathan Robinson
Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Gilles Parenteau
Master of Ceremonies—Heller
With RCCO Vancouver Centre co-president and education officer Michael Dirk on the mighty Wurlitzer organ.
More info: https://www.vancouversymphony.ca/event/saint-saens-organ-symphony/
Accompanied live on the Wurlitzer organ by RCCO Vancouver Centre co-president and education officer Michael Dirk.
Info: https://vancouvercivictheatres.com/events/vct-silent-movie-mondays-laurel-hardy-shorts-nov-27-2023/
The Vancouver Bach Choir’s classic Christmas presentation. More than 400 singers, accompanied by brass quintet and organ in the historic Orpheum Theatre.
FEATURING
Leslie Dala and Marisa Gaetanne | Music Directors
A Touch of Brass Quintet
Michael Dirk | Organ
Catherine Campolin, Shane Raman, Cathrie Yuen | Conductors
Stephen Smith, Kin Ming Wong, Shifra Day, Aslan Aslanov, Esther Chun | Pianists
More info: https://vancouverbachchoir.com/events/christmas-with-the-bach-choir-2023/