‘This is a dream come true!’ Dat was de reactie van David Briggs toen hem gevraagd werd of hij bij ons in Rotterdam wilde komen spelen.

Hij zal in een afwisselend programma ook ruimte maken voor improvisatie.

Al op 17-jarige leeftijd had Briggs diverse onderscheidingen van orgelconcoursen op zijn naam staan en kreeg hij diverse studiebeurzen. Hij studeerde aan de universiteit van Cambridge. En tevens studeerde hij in Parijs bij Jean Langlais. Na zijn studie werkte hij organist in Hereford, voordat hij in 1989 als organist en koorleider benoemd werd bij de kathedraal van Truro. In 1994 wisselde hij naar een gelijkwaardige positie in de kathedraal van Gloucester, waar hij tot 2002 werkzaam was.

Sindsdien heeft hij diverse internationale concertreizen gedaan. Tevens is hij werkzaam aan de universiteit van Cambridge, is hij regelmatig lid in wedstrijdjury’s, zoals in Duitsland bij het Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik en geeft hij mastercursussen aan diverse hogescholen en conservatoriums in Europa en Noord-Amerika. Bovendien is hij tegenwoordig Artist in residence bij de St. James-kathedraal in Toronto.

Dit concert als feestelijke opening van de Kerkenweek/ Heilige huisjes wordt u aangeboden met een hapje en drankje in de pauze.
Presentatie door Kees Wisse

David Briggs

“Mr. Briggs is one of our finest organists, and also a particularly
good transcriber of orchestral works for his own instrument. “
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 demonstra-
tions 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