After a successful and popular Michaelmas Term organ recital series, Exeter’s organ scholars are thrilled to announce an exciting roster of organists for Exeter College’s Hilary Term recitals. Starting on 16 January, there will be a new featured organist playing in the Chapel each week until 5 March.
This term’s recital series reflects Exeter’s continued dedication to diversifying its roster of performers. Last term, Exeter’s recital series was performed entirely by female organists (quite possibly a first among Oxford’s colleges). The result was an unusually rich range of playing styles and compositions, as the cultural backgrounds of our performers ranged from India to South Africa and from France to Australia. From this term onwards, Exeter’s organ scholars aim not only to arrange recital series with an equal balance of male and female performers, but also to present at least one piece in each programme that is not part of the standard repertoire.
Last week, the series began with Mark Brafield who, in addition to having held Fellowships at Trinity College London and the Royal College of Organists, is a practising judge. This week will feature Tim Pyper, a lecturer in music at Williams College, Massachusetts, which Exeter College maintains a partnership with through the Williams at Exeter Programme (WEPO). Other performers include Joe Barber, who is completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford, as well as the Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, Sarah MacDonald, Royal College of Music student Laura Silva Mendes, and Guildford Cathedral organist Katherine Dienes-Williams. The programme will also welcome two current Oxford and Cambridge organ scholars, Adreana Chan of Pembroke College, Cambridge and Owen Chan of Merton College, Oxford.
Organ recitals at the Exeter College Chapel are free and open to all. They are held on Tuesdays at 1:10 PM during term time. Thanks to the generosity of the Chapel’s Patron, Professor Marguerite Dupree, and our Rector, Professor Sir Rick Trainor, we continue to offer a free drinks reception after each recital, which allows attendees to meet with performers and fellow audience members in a casual atmosphere. Please do come along; if you are not a member of Exeter College simply report to the Porters’ Lodge at the Turl Street entrance on arrival.
