Bach symposium (19th- 21st June)
During this special Bach weekend, a number of papers will be presented by leading musicologists. Bach’s music will performed on all of the historic organs in the centre of Alkmaar. On Friday afternoon the first round of the organ competition will take place. The final three candidates will play on the Saturday morning. All 12 candidates will perform a number of works by Johann Sebastian Bach on the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ.
On Saturday afternoon, Frank van Wijk will lead his traditional walking tour of the historic organs of Alkmaar, an unforgettable, and justifiably popular, demonstration of the city’s living musical heritage.
The Grote Kerk will provide the setting on Saturday evening for the opening concert of the festival, performed by the world-famous Canterbury Cathedral Choir, directed by Dr David Flood. Organ works by J.S. Bach will be performed by the renowned Danish organist Bine Bryndorf.
The Sunday programme begins with a lunch concert in the Grote St Laurenskerk, performed by organist Dietrich Wagler. This will be followed by two papers, ‘Bach’s music on Silbermann organs’ by Dietrich Wagler, and ‘Affekt and symbolism in the chorale preludes of Bach’ by organist and musicologist Kees van Houten. The afternoon will conclude in the Lutheran Church with a programme of chamber music entitled ‘At home with Bach". The performers will be Annegret Siedel, baroque violin, Frank van Wijk and Pieter van Dijk, harpsichord.
On Sunday evening, Bach’s ‘Leipzig Chorales’ will be performed in their entirety in the Grote St Laurenskerk by Theo Jellema, Frank van Wijk and Pieter van Dijk.
During the opening weekend, ‘fringe’ events will also take place, with the goal of increasing public awareness of the festival, especially as Alkmaar will also celebrate its annual walking festival on the same days. On the Waagplein, the weekly cheese market on Friday will be ‘taken over’ by the organ festival. On Saturday afternoon, a trail of street and barrel organs through the centre of Alkmaar will lead visitors to the Canadaplein and the Grote St Laurenskerk. Regular concerts will also be performed on the carillons of the Waag and the Grote Kerk.
The Competition
The invited competitors will be pushed to their limits during the international organ competition. Within the space of a week, and with strictly limited preparation time, they will be expected to perform the most challenging works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Jan Pietersz. Sweelinck, as well as a contemporary composition from the newly-published ECHO composition book.
The competition consists of a first round with twelve candidates, which will take place on Friday 19th, and Saturday 20th June. The second round, with six candidates, takes place on Tuesday 23rd June, and the finale, during which three candidates will do battle, takes place on Friday 26th June.
The Academy
Parallel to the organ competition, the international organ academy features masterclasses and workshops. Amongst its various functions, the academy is especially beneficial to students, whose contact with historic organs during their regular studies is limited, or even non-existent. The masterclasses take place each morning between Monday 22nd and Friday 26th June on the organs of the Grote St Laurenskerk. During the afternoon, workshops will be given on various historic organs in the Alkmaar area.
The Jury performs...
On Monday and Wednesday evenings, the public will have the chance to hear the members of the jury perform in the Grote Kerk. They will perform music from the traditions of their own countries, as well as music chosen to tie in with the literature played during the competition and academy.
On Monday 22nd June, Paolo Crivellaro and Reinhard Jaud will perform, and on Wednesday 24th, Bine Bryndorf, and Theo Jellema can be heard.
Lunch Concerts
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, lunch concerts will be performed from 12.30 until 13.30 in the Ter Coulsterkerk in Heiloo, utilising the new Pels en van Leeuwen organ. The performers will be the candidates of the international organ competition.
Youth concerts
On Thursday evening, the organ is given over to the youth. In cooperation with ‘Steunpunt Kunstzinnige Vorming’ and ‘Artiance’, the Schnitger foundation will present a concert performed by young people, aged 12 to 18. Performances, together with, or in alternation with, the organs will include orchestral, vocal, dance and theatre items, as well as performances on the organs by selected pupils.
Sweelinck symposium
The Sweelinck symposium will take place during the concluding weekend of the festival, and will open with the final round of the organ competition on Friday evening (26th June). Following the final, the prize winners (including the winner of the audience prize) will be announced. The three finalists will perform works by J.S. Bach on the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ.
On the Saturday afternoon, a varied programme of music and papers will be presented. This will begin with a lunch concert performed by selected academy participants on both organs of the Grote St Laurenskerk. This is followed by a visit to the Stedelijk Museum, and the Regional Archive where a small exhibition of documents relating to Alkmaar’s organ history will be presented. There will also be a lecture by the organist Reinhard Jaud. This will feature music by Sweelinck and his South German contemporaries.
The symposium then moves to the Lutherse kerk, where a concert of ‘Chamber Music from the Netherlands’ will be performed by Frank van Wijk, harpsichord, Elina Keijzer, recorders and Koen van Stade, tenor.
On Saturday evening, the Grote St. Laurenskerk provides the setting for a concert by ‘Camerata Oude Kerk’ directed by Henk Verhoef , and
The programme on Sunday begins with a lunch concert in the Grote Kerk given by organist Paolo Crivellaro entitled ‘Prima et Seconda Prattica’. This will be followed by a lecture on the subject given by the performer. Then there is a lecture by Erik Winkel (Deputy Director of Flentop Orgelbouw) about "The Van Covelens-organ and the idelas of the Dutch Organbuilders". The final lecture will be presented by Dr Jurjen Vis about Sweelinck’s relationship with Alkmaar.
The concluding concert, on Sunday evening is entitled "The Musical world before the Reformation" and will feature the renowned choir Cantus Modalis directed by Rebecca Stewart, and the organist Pieter van Dijk.
For a detailed timetable of all festival events, please click here >>>>
