Martin at Westminster Abbey
September 2005

Links

I am extremely grateful to friends and colleagues who are constantly showing their support and encouragement. The following links come highly recommended.

www.organrecitals.com

Stephen Smith is every British organist's guardian angel (sorry Steve!). His work to promote organ concerts throughout the UK too often goes without just appreciation. www.organrecitals.com is his website which offers thorough weekly updates on organ concerts around the capital, and is full of interesting information, biographies, pictures and stories among may other useful things.

Jan Lehtola (organist and composer)

Jan is probably the most industrious and inspiring organist in Finland. His dedication to the promotion of new music and his ability as a performer are second to none. He has championed the work of many wonderful, living composers and is a fine composer himself. Since 2007 he has developed ‘Organo Novo’ (part of the Annual Festival of New Organ Music) in Helsinki and premiered my Prelude & Fugue on DSCH which is dedicated to him. He is a good friend!

Maxine Thévenot (organist)

Maxine is a fine performer, person and another fine friend. She is passionate about new music and always bold and imaginative in her programming of unfamiliar pieces. I have great admiration for her talent and wrote my Hommage à Petr Eben for her.

Sharon Blanchfield (artist)

Sharon’s paintings and drawings are inspiring! She has a freedom in her style which is captivating and enticing. Her visionary representations of The Hymn of the Pearl (in two parts) are quite the most remarkable images. She very kindly agreed for me to use one of these as the cover for my symphony based on the same Gnostic text. I’m looking forward to visiting Peacock Studios one day if I’m in Ontario!

Naji Hakim (organist and composer)

The titular organist at the church of La Trinité Paris is a regular visitor to London. Through his support and encouragement, British students are gaining direct contact with the long tradition of outstanding organist-composer-improvisers in France. We are honoured that Dr Hakim has graciously agreed to be Patron of the Annual Festival of New Organ Music whose third series of events will be held in October 2008 in London..

David Liddle (organist and composer)

David is a marvellous composer and concert organist who has performed in many cathedrals and concert halls of Europe and the USA. He is especially fond of the Father Willis organ at St Dominic's Priory and has given a couple of memorable concerts here in recent years. He is also a regular supporter of the recital series at St Dominic's.

Neil Wright (organist and composer)

My colleague Neil Wright is a great improviser, composer and organist who works selflessly to create and perform high-quality music. He is titular organist of Farnborough Abbey where he performs on the wonderful Cavaillé-Coll instrument - which even has its own website. In recent years, their monthly Sunday afternoon concerts for May to October has attracted a large and appreciative audience.