St Albans International Organ Festival Well it is finally here – our 50th Anniversary Year! It is wonderful to think that quite a few of our members were involved at the very start, and I wonder just how many of them would have predicted that the St Albans International Organ Festival would still be ‘the one to win’ half a century later. Looking back at the Chairman’s message in the January 2009 newsletter I was interested to see the headline ‘An exciting Festival ahead, in challeng- ing times.’ I couldn’t have put it better! The past five decades have included periods of growth or consolidation or basic survival, depending on the economic situation. We all know that the current financial climate is as bad as it has ever been during the IOFS’s existence, and this is making fundrais- ing harder than ever. The magnificent support of members for our BigGive project has therefore been all the more welcome, and I am enormously grateful to those of you who contributed to this initiative. We also owe a huge debt of thanks to Colin Hamling for coordinating our BigGive entry and for ensuring that it was so successful. However, even with the BigGive funds we still face a substantial challenge if we wish to put on the sort of festival worthy of a 50th anniversary; this is in spite of having applied to dozens of new trusts for financial support. Our fundraising work continues but any help our members can give, for example through putting us in touch with potential sponsors, would be invaluable. We are also looking for help with a variety of specific projects, including contacting local businesses to discuss advertising and/or sponsorship. If you think you could help, please let me know. Our Board members take on a range of tasks and I’m most grateful to them for the work they have put in over the past year. Roger Lander and Mervyn Hogg have served the IOFS as Board members (and Roger as Finance Director) for many years and will be enjoying a well-earned break from Board respon- sibilities (though I suspect they will still remain very active members!). We shall be sorry to lose them, but I am delighted that Aideen McNamara and Mike Johnson have agreed to put their names forward for nomination at the AGM. They will bring invaluable skills and experience to the Board at a particularly challenging time. Although our immediate task is to secure the finances for another festival year, we must look ahead to the longer-term future of the IOFS. We have already seen the successful introduction of a ‘mini-festival’ between competition years and David Titterington will be describing his plans for new activities and links with other organisations to broaden our audience and to give us a wider base of supporters. We must assume that the economic climate will remain tough for some years to come, so our approach to fundraising will need to change significantly. What won’t change is our reputation as ‘the friendly competition’, supported by a dedicated army of volunteers and delivering a world-class festival. I look forward to celebrating this fact with you at the AGM on the 23rd February. Stephen Boffey Newsletter Spring 2013 MeMberShip MatterS A warm welcome is extended to the following people who have joined the society since the publication of the last newsletter: Emmanuel Awe South Ockendon Mark James Barbican, London Christopher Lodge Totternhoe Gillian Targett-Adams Harpenden Subscriptions Subscriptions for the current year became due on 1 October 2012 but there are still two dozen or so members who have not yet renewed. Reminders have been sent either by email or letter. We don’t want to lose anyone but if you haven’t yet paid this will be the last newsletter you receive! Email Addresses As usual, I appeal to members who have recently acquired or changed an email address to get in touch with me so that we can send you timely reminders of all the society’s activities. Roger Trigg Email: [email protected]Tel: 01923 774293 7 Armitage Close, Loudwater, Rickmansworth WD3 4HL iOFS lOttery 2012-2013 The lucky prizewinners since the last Newsletter are: September No 55 Pauline Baycroft October No 79 Chris & Val Argue November No 38 John Versey December No 14 David Wakefield January No 76 Marian Hossell There is a prize of £50 every month until June 2013 and it is not too late to join in! If you have mislaid your pink application form, I will gladly send you another. Your continued support is much appreciated and the proceeds will give a welcome boost to next year’s 50th Anniversary Festival. Philip Vaughan email: [email protected]WebSite and acceSS tO MeMberS’ area www.organfestival.com Username: ofmember Password: diapason The IOF Newsletter is designed by Maxine Anderson [email protected]abOut uS Founder and President Dr Peter Hurford OBE Patrons Sir Andrew Davis CBE; Dame Glynne Evans DBE, CMG; The Rt Hon Lord McNally PC; The Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury; The Countess of Verulam; The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City and District of St Albans; The Dean of St Albans Chairman Stephen Boffey Artistic Director David Titterington Company Secretary Mary Webster Finance Director Adam Blackie Board Members Colin Hamling, Mervyn Hogg, Marian Hossell, Roger Lander, Angela Tucker, Mike Wardle Administrator Linda Hamling The IOF Newsletter is edited by Mary Jenkin. Please send copy to me for future editions. I may be contacted on 01582 843456 or by email [email protected]Material for the next edition of the Newsletter by 1st May 2013 Saturday 23 February 2013 St Albans Cathedral at 5.30pm STEPHEN CLEOBURY UK - AGM Recital Postlude in D minor Stanford Alleluyas Simon Preston Sonata no.2 Elgar Resurgam Harvey Grace Laudate Dominum Peter Hurford Rhapsody no.1 Herbert Howells Toccata giocosa William Matthias Fantasia & Fugue in G Parry Saturday 23 March 2013 St Saviour’s Church, St Albans at 5.30pm MATTHEW MARTIN UK Suite du deuxième ton Guilain Fantasia in G Byrd Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV665 J S Bach Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV662/663 Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist BWV667 Antiphon: Regina caeli Cornet Hymn: Pange lingua de Grigny Magnificat primi toni BuxWV 203 Buxtehude Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland Bruhns Grand Dialogue (1696) Marchand Saturday 13 April 2013 St Peter’s Church, St Albans at 5.30pm CATHERINE ENNIS UK Overture to The Occasional Oratorio Handel Concerto in D minor BWV546 J S Bach Freu dich sehr, O meine Seele Pachelbel Toccata & Fugue in F major BWV540 J S Bach Sonata in B flat major op.65 no.4 Mendelssohn Combat de la mort et de la vie from Les Corps Glorieux Messiaen March on Handel’s “Lift up your heads” Guilmant Saturday 4 May 2013 St Albans Cathedral at 5.30pm PAUL GOUSSOT France First Prize, Improvisation Competition, St Albans 2011 First Prize, Haarlem Improvisation Competition, 2012 Caius Consort, Cambridge directed by Geoffrey Webber Barnaby Brown Northern triplepipes Saturday cOncert SerieS Sunday 17th March 2013 Abbot’s House, Abbots Langley at 4.30pm THE ABBOT’S HOUSE BARN CONCERT WITH THE JUNIOR DEPARTMENT OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC The Abbot’s House, 10 High Street, Abbots Langley Herts. WD5 0AR e-mail: [email protected]Tel: 01923 264946 We warmly invite you and your friends to a con- cert given by the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music on Sunday 17th March 2013 at 4.30pm. You are most welcome to arrive early and wander round the garden before the start of the concert if you wish. Seating is limited so please apply early; no tickets will be issued. Parking is available in the village car park, but if you have a disability do please park in our drive. We have been entertained by the Junior Department of the RCM on fourteen previous occasions and the concerts have been immensely enjoyable. Admission is by invitation only with a suggested donation of £15.00 minimum per person. We hope to welcome you again this year. Olivier Latry gave an inspiring recital to a packed Cathedral on 12th January 2013. After the 2011 festival, I began to think about ways in which we might appropriately mark the 50th anniversary of the IOF. Whatever we did, it had to have some longevity and, as far as I was concerned, it had to have a connection with the competitions, which are at the very heart of what we promote and on what the IOF was founded. Since my first festival in 2009, I felt that the enormous achievement of winning a first prize at St Albans ought to be rewarded in a more tangible and appropriate way other than by the presentation of a hefty cheque and an attractive certificate. The idea of commissioning a Gold Medal for our Golden Jubilee seemed the obvious way to go and this met with the full approval of the Board. There was clearly only one person I could turn to for advice on this matter, former IOF Board Member and former Secretary to the Bank of England, our very own Geoff Croughton. A man, I thought, who would surely know everything about gold and its casting! By the end of a very convivial lunch, we had refined the design brief, sourced the companies and before long had three proposals on the table. Thomas Fattorini (a company founded in 1827 and have a distinguished tradition of making regalia, medal- lions and swords!) was eventually commissioned. This Gold Medal, engraved with the winner’s name, will be awarded for the first time in 2013 to the first prizewinner of the Interpretation Competition and in future competitions. The first prizewinner of the Improvisation Competition, will once again from 2013, receive the Charles Tournemire medallion (produced by La Monnaie de Paris). The Gold Medal will be exhibited for Members at the February AGM; meanwhile, I would like to record a big debt of gratitude to Geoff Croughton for all his expert advice and enthusiasm. David Titterington date FOryOur diarieS The AGM is on Saturday 23 February 2013. To be held at St Paul’s Hall, Blandford Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4JP At 7.15pm To be followed by The Annual Dinner FrOM the artiStic directOr chairMan’S MeSSage
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50th Anniversary1963-2013
St AlbansInternational
Organ Festival
Well it is finally here –
our 50th Anniversary
Year! It is wonderful to
think that quite a few
of our members were
involved at the very start,
and I wonder just how
many of them would
have predicted that the
St Albans International
Organ Festival would still be ‘the one to win’ half a
century later.
Looking back at the Chairman’s message in the
January 2009 newsletter I was interested to see the
headline ‘An exciting Festival ahead, in challeng-
ing times.’ I couldn’t have put it better! The past
five decades have included periods of growth or
consolidation or basic survival, depending on the
economic situation. We all know that the current
financial climate is as bad as it has ever been during
the IOFS’s existence, and this is making fundrais-
ing harder than ever. The magnificent support of
members for our BigGive project has therefore been
all the more welcome, and I am enormously grateful
to those of you who contributed to this initiative.
We also owe a huge debt of thanks to Colin Hamling
for coordinating our BigGive entry and for ensuring
that it was so successful.
However, even with the BigGive funds we still
face a substantial challenge if we wish to put on
the sort of festival worthy of a 50th anniversary;
this is in spite of having applied to dozens of new
trusts for financial support. Our fundraising work
continues but any help our members can give, for
example through putting us in touch with potential
sponsors, would be invaluable. We are also looking
for help with a variety of specific projects, including
contacting local businesses to discuss advertising
and/or sponsorship. If you think you could help,
please let me know.
Our Board members take on a range of tasks and
I’m most grateful to them for the work they have
put in over the past year. Roger Lander and Mervyn
Hogg have served the IOFS as Board members (and
Roger as Finance Director) for many years and will
be enjoying a well-earned break from Board respon-
sibilities (though I suspect they will still remain very
active members!). We shall be sorry to lose them,
but I am delighted that Aideen McNamara and Mike
Johnson have agreed to put their names forward for
nomination at the AGM. They will bring invaluable
skills and experience to the Board at a particularly
challenging time.
Although our immediate task is to secure the
finances for another festival year, we must look
ahead to the longer-term future of the IOFS. We
have already seen the successful introduction of
a ‘mini-festival’ between competition years and
David Titterington will be describing his plans for
new activities and links with other organisations to
broaden our audience and to give us a wider base
of supporters. We must assume that the economic
climate will remain tough for some years to come,
so our approach to fundraising will need to change
significantly. What won’t change is our reputation as
‘the friendly competition’, supported by a dedicated
army of volunteers and delivering a world-class
festival. I look forward to celebrating this fact with
you at the AGM on the 23rd February.
Stephen Boffey
Newsletter Spring2013
MeMberShipMatterS
A warm welcome is extended to the following
people who have joined the society since the
publication of the last newsletter:
Emmanuel Awe South Ockendon
Mark James Barbican, London
Christopher Lodge Totternhoe
Gillian Targett-Adams Harpenden
Subscriptions
Subscriptions for the current year became due on
1 October 2012 but there are still two dozen or so
members who have not yet renewed. Reminders
have been sent either by email or letter. We don’t
want to lose anyone but if you haven’t yet paid this
apply early; no tickets will be issued. Parking is
available in the village car park, but if you have a
disability do please park in our drive.
We have been entertained by the Junior
Department of the RCM on fourteen previous
occasions and the concerts have been immensely
enjoyable. Admission is by invitation only with
a suggested donation of £15.00 minimum per
person. We hope to welcome you again this year.
Olivier Latry gave an inspiring recital to a packed
Cathedral on 12th January 2013.
After the 2011 festival,
I began to think about
ways in which we might
appropriately mark the
50th anniversary of the IOF.
Whatever we did, it had to
have some longevity and,
as far as I was concerned, it
had to have a connection
with the competitions, which are at the very heart
of what we promote and on what the IOF was
founded.
Since my first festival in 2009, I felt that the
enormous achievement of winning a first prize at
St Albans ought to be rewarded in a more tangible
and appropriate way other than by the presentation
of a hefty cheque and an attractive certificate. The
idea of commissioning a Gold Medal for our Golden
Jubilee seemed the obvious way to go and this
met with the full approval of the Board. There was
clearly only one person I could turn to for advice on
this matter, former IOF Board Member and former
Secretary to the Bank of England, our very own
Geoff Croughton. A man, I thought, who would
surely know everything about gold and its casting!
By the end of a very convivial lunch, we had refined
the design brief, sourced the companies and before
long had three proposals on the table. Thomas
Fattorini (a company founded in 1827 and have a
distinguished tradition of making regalia, medal-
lions and swords!) was eventually commissioned.
This Gold Medal, engraved with the winner’s name,
will be awarded for the first time in 2013 to the first
prizewinner of the Interpretation Competition and
in future competitions. The first prizewinner of the
Improvisation Competition, will once again from
2013, receive the Charles Tournemire medallion
(produced by La Monnaie de Paris).
The Gold Medal will be exhibited for Members at
the February AGM; meanwhile, I would like to record
a big debt of gratitude to Geoff Croughton for all his
expert advice and enthusiasm.
David Titterington
dateFOryOurdiarieSThe AGM is on Saturday 23 February 2013.
To be held at St Paul’s Hall, Blandford Road,
St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4JP At 7.15pm
To be followed by The Annual Dinner
FrOMtheartiSticdirectOr
chairMan’SMeSSage
50th Anniversary1963-2013
St AlbansInternational
Organ Festival
As a young organist and student, it has always
been important to me to find out what is happening
across the organ world, and access to Choir & Organ
magazine is enormously helpful.
It is necessary to keep up to date with events
and there are plenty of news items and reviews. I
like to listen around the organ repertoire and it is
good to see what CDs and DVDs have recently been
released. There is also a list of upcoming recitals
around the country so it is possible to see which
players are playing where and when.
I particularly value the section entitled ‘Tutorial’
in which the reader is taken through a well-known
piece of organ or choral music, giving them ideas
and tips on how to approach the piece. This is great,
as it not only gives you an idea of what to learn, but
also guides you through all aspects of the piece:
registration, style, tempo etc.
The articles are always well written and informa-
tive, and they are often about a new instrument
being built or one that is being restored. I recently
enjoyed reading about the Royal Festival Hall organ,
which I had heard only a few weeks before, giving
details of the final stages of its restoration.
I enjoy reading about new pieces of organ or
choral music especially those written by young
composers. These articles provide a link that enables
you to download the score online. I always find this
particularly interesting as it not only adds new and
exciting music to your repertoire that nobody will
have heard before, but it is also fascinating to see
what composers of a similar age are writing.
‘On Course’ is a guide to all the organ, choral
conducting and church music courses throughout
the world. For a student who is about to embark on
undergraduate or postgraduate studies, this gives
all the information you need to know in one place
instead of browsing the Internet.
For members of the IOF, and in particular student
members, access to Choir & Organ online is a great
way to get ideas about repertoire (both old and
new) and to find out what is happening across the
organ world.
Alexander Binns
OrganizatiOnandManageMentOFtheiOFSAn occasional series in which board members explain their rôle in the society
Apart from responsibilities of overall governance of the IOFS applicable to all Board members, I take special
responsibility for the Organ Competitions and our Festival Operations.
Managing the Organ Competitions is an ongoing two year cycle of activities which includes: ● Producing and distributing the prospectus ● Receiving and processing applications ● Organizing the recorded preliminary round ● Correspondence with applicants and selected competitors ● Scheduling and running the competition rounds and practice sessions during the festival
Planning for a festival starts almost as soon as the last has finished, and a key task I undertake is to produce
the overall schedule, in collaboration with the artistic director, which dovetails all the demands of competi-
tions and festival events within the availability of the many venues which we use.
In doing both of the above, I am reliant on the IOF office and numerous volunteers (who I will not list to avoid
accidental exclusions), but who are responsible for a huge range of essential supporting activities. As we get
nearer to the festival, I coordinate the activities of these volunteers within the structure of the schedule.
Professionally, I work for the mobile communications company Telefonica O2, and have particular responsi-
bilities for chairing international committees responsible for the SIM card and Device Certification.
I am organist at St. Mary’s church, North Mymms.
Colin Hamling
thebiggiVeAll members will have been aware of the IOFS
participation in The BigGive Christmas Challenge,
which has now concluded. We set a target to raise
£50k for our fiftieth anniversary. Within the challenge,
the money has been raised from a combination of
donations from our members and others, matched
by personal pledges and a BigGive Champion. Our
champion chose to remain anonymous.
I am pleased to report that we have raised around
£35K, with a final total around £39k when Gift Aid
is recovered. Although short of our £50k target this
is a great achievement, especially as the majority
of the money has been given by our membership.
Your Board is extremely grateful to those who so
generously contributed.
If you missed giving a donation through the
BigGive Christmas Challenge, donations can be
made at any time on-line through our website
www.organfestival.com or by cheque sent to the
office; and this is a good time to remind taxpayers to
ensure that you indicate that tax may be recovered
on all donations you make to the IOFS, through the
Gift Aid scheme, where appropriate.
Colin Hamling
FrOMKitchentabletOOFFicedeSKWhilst we are celebrating 50 years of the St Albans International Organ
Festival, it is interesting to look back at how the IOFS developed and changed
over the years.
At the beginning, the Festival was run simply with the financial backing of
the founder and his wife, Peter and Pat Hurford. The total turnover in 1963 was
just over £400 - and it made a loss of 10/-. (50p). Financial support was sought
at an early stage and in 1965 anybody who contributed a minimum of £5 to the
IOF Capital Account (a fund set up to provide scope for an expansion in activity)
became a Patron of the Festival. In return Patrons were entitled to receive a free
pass to the whole Festival - and a copy of the latest available audited accounts.
By the end of the 1960s the IOF needed to establish greater funding in order to continue, so in 1970 the
International Organ Festival Society was formed, with a Board of Trustees. This lifted an immense burden from
the shoulders of the Artistic Director, Peter Hurford, gave supporters a channel to express their views and
brought in a body of expertise without which the Festival could never have developed as it has.
Thirty people attended the inaugural meeting of the IOF Society held on June 15th 1970, when
Peter Hurford described the main objects of the meeting (which was held, in true IOF tradition, to the
accompaniment of sherry!). These were:
(I) To consider the draft Constitution, which sought to establish the International Organ Festival Society as
a charitable organization
(II) To ratify and adopt the same
(III) To elect the Society’s first Committee.
It was decided that the IOF should be constituted as an unincorporated Society and registered as a
charitable trust with the Charity Commission; the Society would have two independent Trustees, and a formal
Management Committee of six members and officers who would be responsible for its operation. The Patrons
now became Members who had voting rights and were empowered to elect the Committee. The same
constitutional arrangements served for more than twenty years until it was felt that the onus of responsibility
on the Trustees (now increased to three) engendered too much personal risk. Accordingly, in 1991 the deci-
sion was taken to establish a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity - and the International
Organ Festival Society Limited came into being. Members continued to control the election of the Committee,
now constituted as a Board of Directors (15 max.) to run the Society but they now fulfilled this responsibility
as the effective ‘owners’ of the Company.
Subscriptions have never been high. From the original £5 they have increased very gradually. In 1980 they
were raised to £7 for full members. In 1993 they went up to £16, in 1999 to £20 and the last increase was
in 2004 to £25 with commensurate figures for other grades of membership. Whilst artists appearing at the
Festival had been paid (except for Peter Hurford) no one was paid for admin services. From 1972 the funds
paid for a part-time secretary for Peter Hurford. Whilst funding continues to be challenging, the Society has
flourished and in 2010 moved into new office premises close to the Cathedral. The membership list continues
to grow and a flourishing website enables worldwide communication.