- † Massimo Nosetti
- Aaron James - Organ
- Alan Jackson - Organ Builder, Historian
- Andre Rakus - Organ
- Christian Lane � Organ
- David Alexander Simon - Organ
- Diane Bish � Organ
- Gordon D. Mansell - Co-founder, Executive Producer, Artistic Director
- Jelani Eddington � Organ
- John Grew - Organ
- Marek Kudlicki - Organ
- Mark Herman - Organ
- Maxine Th�venot - Organ
- Michael Barth - Trumpet
- Nigel Potts - Organ, Jeremy Filsell - Piano
- Nigel Potts � Lecturer
- Philip Sarabura - Conductor
- Thomas Fitches - Organ
- William O’Meara
- Young Organist Competition Royal Canadian College of Organists
- Bios 2012
Bios 2012
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Gordon D. Mansell - Co-founder, Executive Producer, Artistic Director Gordon Mansell, President and Artistic Director of Glionna Mansell Corporation is proud to be the executive producer and artistic director of ORGANIX CONCERTS INC. Each year in May Toronto comes to life with the magnificent sound of the pipe organ. This year we have many opportunities to showcase emerging artists, seasoned international performers and rarely heard repertoire. We look forward to a month of great music-making. |
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William O’Meara - ORGANIX CONCERTS Co-founder William O’Meara is one of the busiest and most sought-after accompanists and organist in and around Toronto. His musical and intellectual contributions to the life of many choral organizations has, and continues to be, nothing short of significant. With the co- development of ORGANIX in 2006, this initiative has been one effort that the city has richly benefited from. Bill is now very involved in his duties as titular organist at St. Michael’s Cathedral and accompanying the choirs and teaching organ at the Choir School. We will miss his personal touch but ORGANIX will continue to honour him as our co-founder. |
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David performs the first concert of ORGANIX 12 and that of our Monday lunchtime series. He is a brilliant young musician full of energy and technical competence. As an emerging talent, we will hear much about this performer in coming years. In coming to this concert and his first professional festival performance, you’ll be able to say; “I heard him when...” |
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ORGANIX has collaborated with the Toronto Theatre Organ Society since our first season. It has been a great opportunity for us to showcase a different style of organ and a different approach to music-making on a pipe organ. This mighty Wurlitzer that Jelani will perform on is in a castle and has been lovingly restored by colleague, John Struve. John has made this instrument more spectacular than perhaps, its original state when it was first built and housed at Toronto’s Shea Theatre. Jelani will be performing for the second time in our festival and will make you want to sing and dance as he takes you through popular show tunes. |
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Massimo Nosetti will open the festival in the first of six gala performances. In his second ORGANIX appearance, we will hear the colours and power of the magnificent St. Paul’s Casavant Frères grand organ Opus 155 (1914). Massimo will perform with Virtuoso trumpeter, Mike Barth and an orchestra directed by Maestro Philip Sarabura. Together they will perform Josef Rheinberger Organ Concerto, Opus 177 and Enrico Bossi Organ Concerto Opus 100. You will also hear thrilling solo repertoire guaranteed to lift you right out of your seat! |
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Nigel Potts - Organ, Jeremy Filsell - Piano Jeremy and Nigel have played as a piano and organ duo to sell-out audiences throughout North America. ORGANIX is excited about presenting this duo in collaboration with the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Metropolitan United Church and David and June Weind. In this, the second gala performance of ORGANIX 12, Jeremy and Nigel will perform Sergie Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2. This is one of the most passionate and lyrical orchestral pieces written in the 20th century. The superbly beautiful orchestral part will be played by Nigel Potts on the Casavant Frères organ Opus 1367 (1930), Canada’s largest pipe organ. Nigel will show off the symphonic power of this amazing instrument alongside the towering clarity of the concert Steinway grand under Jeremy Filsell’s virtuosic fingers. It will be a fiery performance not to be missed! |
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ORGANIX is really quite excited to present Renée Anne Louprette for this lunch time concert. She is the Organist and Associate Director of Music and the Arts at Trinity Wall Street. She will be leaving the Big Apple just to play for us in this, her first Canadian performance. She has established a formidable international career as organ recitalist, accompanist and conductor. In her ORGANIX concert, we will be absolutely mesmerized by her technique, grace and quiet competence. |
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Continuing the theme of virtuosi, Aaron James is among this very special group of organists who have great skill in performance but are well balanced with a diversity of professional interests. We have known Aaron for a number of years and have watched his progress as he worked his way through one competition after another. Finally, he is an ORGANIX artist and it is now time for you to hear this gem of an organist. |
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The opportunity to have the winner of the second Canadian International Organ Competition perform in ORGANIX is becoming a tradition. In ORGANIX 10 we showcased Frédéric Champion from Paris, France, the winner of the first CIOC. Presenting the winners of this prestigious competition signals the importance of ORGANIX in international organ performance circles. This past October 2011, in an international field of sixteen very determined and proficient virtuosi organists, all under the age of 35, Christian Lane worked through this tough field of competitors to claim the coveted first prize. In this, our third gala performance of ORGANIX 12, we are indeed in for a spectacular occasion from this very capable and virtuosic artist. |
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This is the first of two Thursday ORGANIX lunch time concerts on Canada’s largest pipe organ. It is an honour to now include John Grew as an ORGANIX artist. In addition to being one of the most respected educators of our instrument, Professor Grew has also established many organizations and events focused on furthering the awareness of the organ, the repertoire and level of performance. It is a natural fit for him to be here with us. |
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Alan Jackson - Organ Builder, Historian ORGANIX has always promoted first-hand close-up opportunities for the public to become more aware of the pipe organ. As such, at the end of each concert, all are invited to the console and to speak with the artist. At DOORS OPEN, this priority takes on an even bigger significance to our growing enthusiasts. DOORS OPEN at Church of the Holy Trinity – Trinity Square, gives a further opportunity for people to bring music, play their music on one of Canada’s finest organs and walk inside the organ to see how it all works. Alan Jackson is the most knowledgeable person to explain how the organ works, show you the mechanisms and chat with you about anything and everything you ever wanted to know about making music on the King of Instruments. |
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Young Organist Competition Royal Canadian College of Organists Several young organists will compete for prize money in this final round of the competition sponsored by the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. Each competitor will play a program of approximately 30 minutes duration that includes one major work by J.S. Bach, a work from the romantic period (up to 1930) and a contemporary work (composed after 1930). |
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Andre has become quite a prolific performer of late and one that we have been watching for a number of years. We are very excited to feature Andre in ORGANIX 12 and look forward to his performance of solo and duo works for Trumpet and Organ with Mike Barth. We know that this unique concert will leave you awe-struck after hearing the rarely performed repertoire. |
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It is a gift and a wonderful day when we can gather to hear the best of musicians perform for us. Marek Kudlicki is one of Europe’s finest interpreters of organ repertoire, particularly from the symphonic and romantic period. We look forward to hearing Maestro Kudlicki in his first ORGANIX performance and our fourth gala concert of ORGANIX 12. |
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Maxine Thévenot is a formidable international performer with technical and musical ability. Words don’t come close to describing the depth of her skills and the excitement she instils in each performance. This will be Maxine’s first ORGANIX appearance and one that we look forward to with great anticipation. In our fifth gala performance of ORGANIX 12, Maxine will be performing on one of Canada’s finest mechanical action (tracker) organs. This will be yet another concert not to be missed! |
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Diane Bish, the first lady of the “King of Instruments” will perform in this, the finale gala concert of ORGANIX 12. Diane performs to sell-out audiences around the world. Due to her enormous following wherever she performs and the awareness of the organ she creates as a result of her busy performance schedule and long-standing “The Joy of Music” television series, we anticipate that all 650 seats at Metropolitan will be sold early. Ms. Bish last performed in the GTA in November 2010 to an over-capacity audience. Diane has a wonderful way of reaching out to her audience and creating life-long connection with each person. Her demonstration of virtuosity as a performer is undeniably one of the most thrilling aspects of her concerts... next to her shoes! Her spontaneity is certainly a fresh approach to gaining new enthusiasts. Be sure to book your festival pass that includes a ticket to Diane’s concert now so that you can attend a concert that will thrill and inspire. You’ll be talking about this one for years to come! |
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Mike is a perennial ORGANIX favourite and has built up his own set of enthusiasts with his stunning virtuosity and sensitive playing. He adds the icing to any concert. We will see Mike twice in this festival. He’ll be performing a duo with Massimo Nosetti and in the orchestra and then again with Andre Rakus. The music in both concerts is profound and invigorating. Mike will have you thrilled with the natural musical collaboration of trumpet and organ. |
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It will be a tremendous mix of sound, one moment it will be delicate and touching then almost immediately explode into a fortissimo that only a consummate conductor can command. Maestro Sarabura will marshal the orchestral resources in a performance you will not easily forget. Organ music like you never imagined. This concert will banish all pre-conceived ideas and leave you with renewed energy and enthusiasm for The King of Instruments. Having Maestro Sarabura perform his conducting magic in ORGANIX is especially poignant and a great way to open a festival. |