WESTMINSTER ABBEY with Dr. James O'Donnell
Saturday, February 20, 2016 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
Event with James O'Donnell will explore the fascinating history of Westminster Abbey, the building, its music and musicians.
Place:
St. Clement Anglo-Catholic Parish
2013 Appletree St,
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Host: Peter Conte
Registration, Coffee and light breakfast: 9 AM.
SESSION: 9:30 – 12:00
WORKSHOP FEE to AGO Philadelphia members: $10.00
WORKSHOP FEE for Non- Chapter Members and Guests: $25.00
Optional unch at 12:00PM
(Lunch is $15 for members and guests)
This program is in collaboration with Longwood Gardens, who is hosting Dr. O'Donnell in a full recital program on Friday, February 19th at 8 PM. The program will include works by Elgar, Saint-Saens, Duruflé and more. For Tickets and additional information about the recital: http://longwoodgardens.org/events-and-performances/events/james-odonnell-performance
More about James O'Donnell:
James O’Donnell is Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey. Internationally recognized as a conductor and organ recitalist, he has given concerts all over the world, including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe, and appeared as organ soloist in the BBC Proms and at many other festivals. His recent engagements have included Poulenc's Organ Concerto with the LPO under Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Royal Festival Hall, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and released on CD on the LPO Live label, and solo recitals in the United States, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands.
James O’Donnell was a junior exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music and subsequently Organ Scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read music and studied the organ with Peter Hurford, Nicolas Kynaston, and later with David Sanger. He was appointed first Assistant Master of Music and, six years later, Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. During his twelve-year tenure as Master of Music, the Choir of Westminster Cathedral became one of the most highly-regarded choirs in the world, winning many plaudits, including the Gramophone “Record of the Year” award (for its Hyperion recording of masses by Frank Martin and Pizzetti in 1998), and the Royal Philharmonic Society award (1999), both of which were unprecedented for a Cathedral Choir.
In January 2000 James O’Donnell took up his present appointment at Westminster Abbey, where he is responsible for the music at all services and occasions. Among recent notable events, he directed the music for the Wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 and the memorial services for Nelson Mandela and Sir John Tavener. Under his direction the Abbey Choir records every year, broadcasts frequently, and has toured widely, most recently to the United States. James O’Donnell has worked with many of the country’s leading orchestras and ensembles as soloist and director. He is Music Director of St James’s Baroque and Visiting Professor of Organ and of Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music. He was President of the Royal College of Organists (2011-13) and is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music and a Fellow of the Royal College of Music. He is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge and in 2013 was awarded a Doctorate of Music honoris causa at the University of Aberdeen.
