Andrew Kirk (Bristol)
Edward Elgar: Imperial March (arr. George C Martin)
Tustin Baker: Elegie
Josef Rheinberger: Phantasie (from Sonata no. 12 in Db major)
Owain Park: Images
Andrew Kirk: Toccata, Andante & Fughetta on Sine Nomine
Margaretha Christina de Jong: Fandango (from Seven Dances)
César Franck: Pièce Héroïque
Andrew Kirk, renowned Organist Emeritus of St Mary, Redcliffe, gives a lunchtime concert entirely devoted to the spirit of Remembrance Day.
The organ arrangement of Elgar’s Imperial March is just the thing the Binns Organ was built for, while composed a decade before is the Phantasie from the 12th sonata by that indefatigable composer Rheinberger. Also from later Victorian times is Franck’s turbulent but ultimately triumphant Piѐce héroïque. Adventurous recitalists bring out treasures old and new, and there are several “firsts” in this recital. Tustin Baker’s Elegie, described as “outstanding and sublime”, was recently discovered in a filing cabinet in Sheffield Cathedral, while Owain Park, renowned these days as the director of the Gesualdo Six, reminds us of his origins as an organist. Margaretha Christina de Jong takes us to sunny Spain with her Fandango. And we have a piece performed by the composer: Andrew Kirk’s three-movement piece on the much-loved hymn For All The Saints.
The concert runs from 1.10pm to 1.55pm. Admission £5 at the door. Feel free to bring your own lunch.
Andrew Kirk is a freelance organist, accompanist, choral director and composer working mainly in the Bristol and North Somerset area. He is an occasional accompanist for a number of different choral societies, community choirs and church choirs. He is Director of Henbury Singers, a chamber choir of 25 singers. From February to July, he is helping at Cirencester Parish Church as Acting Organist & Choirmaster.
From 2003-2023, he held the position of Director of Music and Organist at St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol, where he had responsibility for directing several choirs at the church and regularly gave concerts on the famous 1912 Harrison and Harrison organ. In the past year, his organ concerts have included St David’s Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey and Christchurch Priory.
From 1994-2003 he was Director of Music at St John’s Church, Ranmoor, Sheffield. He also taught class music at three secondary schools, including Lady Manners School, Bakewell. He has been an external consultant for the appointment of Directors of Music in some of the larger churches in the UK and supports the work of the RSCM.
Born and educated in Leicester, he won an Organ Scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford where he studied organ with David Sanger. He spent two years in Western Australia as Assistant Organist at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Perth. He holds the FRCO Diploma, gaining the Turpin and Durrant prizes for organ playing.