Organ Competition Prizewinner

I am pleased to announce the recepient of the 2nd Prize in the 2010 International César Franck Organ Competition in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The competition took place on September 21-26, 2010. The award consists of a monetary prize and a recital tour in northern Europe during the 2011/12 concert season.

Twenty-five organists from Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, and the United States, took part in the competition, playing the organ works by César Franck and Olivier Messiaen. The three final rounds of the competition unfolded at the magnificent St. Bavo Cathedral and Basilica in Haarlem on the largest Dutch pipe organ, the Willibrordus Organ (Adema, 1923/1949/1971/1978, 81/IV/P), with the international jury comprised of Eric LeBrun (France), Joris Verdin (Belgium), and Willem Tanke (the Netherlands).

Here are a few live recording performances from the first and second round of the competition:

C. Franck, Prière (semi-final round)

O. Messiaen, Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité IX., “Je suis Celui qui suis” (preliminary round)

For more information, read the competition press release.