Organ Festival 2024

Festival 2024 dates

The IAO is pleased to announce the dates of its Organ Festival in York during 2024:

Thursday 25 – Monday 29 July.

Programme details appear below.  Online booking has now closed.  Tickets for certain individual events will be available on the door (details below).

Extra details added below on 5 July

Online booking for this event has now CLOSED

 

Thursday
afternoon – York Oratory
From 3.00pm – Welcome, registration & tea,
when season ticket holders will be issued with a  Name Badge and a copy of the Festival Handbook.
Please do not arrive before 3pm.
4.00pm (approx)
Demonstration of York Oratory organ
evening
6.00pm – Choral Vespers, York Oratory
7.00pm – Recital by Robert Sharpe at York Minster, including music by Bach, Bairstow, Herbert Howells and Widor
Friday
morning – Central Methodist Church
9.30am – AGM & Coffee
10.30am – IAO/RCO competition semi-final 1, including music by Bach, Dupré, Liszt, Messiaen, Whitlock
afternoon – Bootham School
1.30pm – RCO Lecture, Professor Jonathan Wainwright (University of York): Cathedral, Court & Chamber: the early 17th century English organ in context

St Olave’s Church
2.30pm – IAO/RCO competition semi-final 2, including music by Bach, Darke, Duruflé, Schumann, Vierne

 4.00pm – Talk by Sir Andrew Parmley, CEO, RCO

evening – Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

7 for 7.30pm – Festival Dinner
Saturday
8.45am – Coach leaves York (Memorial Gardens, YO1 6FZ, close to York railway station) for….

10.15am – Recital by Robert Poyser at Beverley Minster, including Vierne’s 3rd Symphony

2.00pm – Recital by Paul Carr at Bridlington Priory, including music by Bach, Guilmant (1st Sonata) and Tchaikovsky

3.00pm – Coach departs for York
8.00pm – Choral concert at St Denys Church.
Ex Corde, a York-based ensemble, will explore York’s rich tradition of sacred music from the 15th and 16th centuries

Sunday
morning

Opportunity to attend church services or visit the National Railway Museum

afternoon – St Olave’s Church

2.00pm – Conversation with Philip Moore
2.30pm – Duet organ recital by
Maximillian Elliott & Keith Wright
4.00pm – Choral Evensong, York Minster

7.00pm – IAO/RCO competition final, York Minster

Monday – St Olave’s Church

9.30am – Talk: Rebuilding the Minster organ, by Robert Sharpe, IAO President,
after which up to a dozen organs in city centre locations will be available for members to hear and play during an ‘open consoles’ session.

Those without pre-booked Season or Day Tickets can gain entry to some of these events by payment (cash or card) at the door.
Thursday, 7pm – Recital at York Minster (£15 to the Minster, cash only)
Friday, 10.30am & 2.30pm – IAO/RCO Competition semi-final (£10 each)
Saturday, 10am – Recital at Beverley Minster (£12)
Sunday, 2pm – Conversation and Duet Organ Recital (£15)
Sunday 7.30pm – IAO/RCO Competition final (£15)

Terms & Conditions

CANCELLATION – The IAO reserves the right to cancel the Festival up to four weeks before it is due to start if enrolled numbers have not reached the minimum required.
INSURANCE – Participants are strongly advised to take out travel insurance or adequate cover for the duration of their journey to & from, and time at, the Festival.  The IAO does not provide insurance to cover cancellation costs, loss of luggage, injury, money, etc.
LIABILITY – The IAO maintains a public liability policy covering legal liability for bodily injury and property damage; but any loss, damage to property or injury not resulting from negligence will not be covered by the IAO.
CHANGES TO EVENTS – The IAO reserves the right to replace advertised performers or amend the programme in response to changed circumstances.
MINORS – The IAO regrets that it is unable to admit unaccompanied minors to its events unless previously agreed with parents/carers.