Gerard Brooks Organ Concert

May 17th at 3pm

Newington Green Unitarian Church

Admission £10 (£8 conc).

Gerard Brooks introduces and plays a varied programme of baroque and romantic music designed to show off the colours of the organ.

Programme:

Finale from Symphonie no.2: Charles-Marie Widor (1855-1937)Dance Suite: Pierre Attaingnant (15th.c) arr. Brooks. Basse Dance ~ Tourdion ~ Branle (gay ~ Branle (simple)Prelude & Fugue in C major BWV 545 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Christus, der ist mein Leben: Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) (Hymn and 12 short variations)Four Sketches: Robert Schumann (1810-1856) C minor ~ C Major ~ F minor ~ Db majorBerceuse: Louis Vierne (1870-1937) ImpromptuO Salutaris: Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Le Cygne (The Swan)Toccata: Theodore Dubois (1837-1924)

Gerard Brooks first studied the organ with the late John Webster at University College, Oxford before taking up the organ scholarship at Lincoln College, Oxford. He continued his studies with Susi Jeans and then won the Stephen Arlen Memorial Award which enabled him to study with Daniel Roth at Strasbourg Conservatoire, where he was awarded the 'Première Médaille' in Organ together with the 'Prix de la Ville de Strasbourg'. After further studies with Nicolas Kynaston he was the first recipient of the Royal College of Organists' Forsyth-Grant/Hurford Travelling Scholarship which he used to further his interest in the French organ-builder Aristide Cavaillé-ColI. He has published many articles on the organ and its repertoire and has mad over a dozen recordings on the Priory lablel. He holds the posts of Associate Director of Music at All Souls, Langham Place, London, Curator Organist at St. James, Clerkenwell and Tutor for the St. Giles International Organ School. In 2008 he takes up a new appointment as Director of Music at Westminster Central Hall.