David Briggs in Concert
Church of the Transfiguration
Rock Harbor, Orleans, MA
Tickets: 508-240-2400
$35 General; $30 Senior; free for Students and youth 18 & under
Hear guest organist David Briggs in concert, an internationally renowned organist whose performances are acclaimed for their musicality, virtuosity, and ability to excite and engage audiences of all ages. Briggs’ program will feature an improvisation on the spot of four Gregorian chant themes. Watch David illustrate his improvisational genius and creativity as a four-movement organ symphony comes to life!
This concert at the Church of the Transfiguration, Orleans, MA, is a part of the Celebratory Concert series for the completion of the St. Cecilia Organ, an instrument built by Nelson Barden of Boston that is a restoration and expansion of components from many E.M. Skinner instruments and is the only one in the world with its particular surround-sound configuration.
Online reservations are now closed but tickets will be available at the ticket table at Priory Books & Gifts beginning at 6:30pm. We hope you can join us!
Programme:
Adagio in E, Frank Bridge (1879-1941)
Toccata in F, BWV 540, J S Bach (1685-1750)
Three Pieces for Musical Clocks, Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Choral No. 2 in b minor, Cesar Franck (1822-1890)
‘Daphnis et Chloe’ (2nd Orchestral Suite), Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) arr DJB
Improvisation: Symphony in 4 movements on themes submitted by the audience
Introduction and Allegro
Andante cantabile
Scherzo
Finale
The New York Times
David Briggs is an internationally renowned organist whose performances are acclaimed for their musicality, virtuosity, and ability to excite and engage audiences of all ages. Consistently ranked as one of the finest organists of his generation, David’s extensive repertoire spans five centuries. He has also become one of the foremost organ transcribers of symphonic works, thereby giving listeners the opportunity to experience the organ in a new way. He has transcribed orchestral compositions by Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Bruckner, Ravel, and Bach as well as Mahler’s Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth symphonies.
Described as ‘an intrepid improviser” by Michael Barone, host of American Public Media’s Pipedreams, David also frequently performs improvisations to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Nosferatu, Jeanne d’Arc, Metropolis, King of Kings, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the General, and a variety of Charlie Chaplin films.
At the age of 17, David obtained his FRCO (Fellow of the Royal College of Organists) diploma, winning the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. From 1981-84 he was Organ Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge University, during which time he studied with Jean Langlais in Paris. The first British winner of the Tournemire Prize at the St Albans International Improvisation Competition, he also won the first prize in the International Improvisation Competition at Paisley. Subsequently David held positions at Hereford, Truro and Gloucester Cathedrals.
Deeply committed to ensuring organ music remains relevant and vibrant, David enjoys giving pre-concert lectures and demonstrations that help make organ music more broadly accessible. He teaches performance at Cambridge University, frequently serves on international organ competition juries, and gives master classes at colleges and conservatories across the U.S. and Europe.
David performs more than 50 concerts a year at such venues as Maison Symphonique, Montreal; Royal Albert Hall, London; Notre-Dame, St Sulpice and St Eustache, Paris; Kimmel Center, Philadelphia; Berlin Philharmonie, Germany; St James Cathedral, Toronto; International Performing Arts Center, Moscow; Valencia Cathedral, Spain; National Auditorium, Madrid; Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria (BC); Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway; Grace Cathedral, San Francisco (CA); and King’s College, Cambridge.
David Briggs is also a prolific composer and his works range from full scale oratorios to works for solo instruments. He has recorded two DVDs, and 37 CDs, many of which include his own compositions and transcriptions.
David is currently Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City. For more information, Please visit: www.david-briggs.org.
