News Release:
Departing director debuts second Bach Festival
| 13/11/03 202/03 Renowned organist and harpsichordist Dr Terry Norman will launch the New England Bach Festival 2004 on December 11 with a concert at St Mary's Cathedral, Armidale. Dr Norman conceived and directed the debut Bach Festival earlier this year. As well as launching the next festival, his concert will be his final performance in Armidale before taking up his new position as director of music, St Mary's Church, Bridgwater, Somerset. "I am sad to be leaving but am determined to keep the Bach Festival as a success, not only for Armidale but the whole region," Dr Norman said. At his concert, he will play a program of Christmas organ music, including two major works by Bach and other music by d'Aquin, Pasquini, Messiaen and an improvisation. Dr Norman has scored a coup for the 2004 Bach Festival. For the first time, the Song Company and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra will perform together, at Mary's Cathedral, Armidale. The evening's entertainment, which includes a cantata, motet and orchestral suite, will be a highlight of the festival, which starts on February 12 with a workshop for schoolchildren at Ben Venue School.
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Marian Arnold, presenter of ABC Classic FM's Listener Requests program as well as many live classic performances, said: "It's the best 5 days you'll spend in February! In this Bach Festival, some of our most exciting groups are joining forces to perform and celebrate the work of one of Western music's greatest geniuses. Bach lovers rejoice!" Indeed, the festival, which runs for fives days from February 12, includes a series of workshops for music students, an organ recital of Bach works (including the Pastorella, a Partita and the Passacaglia) and harpsichord recital by John O'Donnell. It concludes with a festival dinner at Booloominbah, at the University of New England, one of the festival sponsors. Some of the works performed by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra will be played on original Baroque instruments. One of the concerts will also feature the theorbo, a member of the lute family, which has a deeper, bass sound. Dr Norman is organist and choirmaster at St Peter's Cathedral in Armidale and directs the Fiori Musicali choir. He is a recognised scholar in the area of Early Music Performance Practice. In 1997 he released a CD of organ music, Colours of The Grand Organ, recorded on the organ in the Adelaide Town Hall, and in 2001 his choir Fiori Musicali released a CD of a capella choral music, Voice and Verse. Tickets for the festival cost from $2.50 to $25, with concessions available. Media contact: Terry Norman, 6771 1407, or Lydia Clifford, Public Relations, UNE, Armidale (02) 6773 2779. |
