Festival 2018

IAO Music Festival

PETERBOROUGH & CAMBRIDGE 2018

Five days of wonderful music delighted those attending this year’s IAO Music Festival.

Masterminded by our President, Steven Grahl, director of music at Peterborough Cathedral and the Festival’s Artistic Adviser, it also included musical contributions from Martin Baker, Fergus Black, Libby Burgess, Professor Edward Higginbottom, Sholto Kynoch, Raphaela Papadakis, Richard Pinel and the Schola Cantorum of Oxford.

The Festival opened with a recital by Steven Grahl on the recently re-pitched Peterborough Cathedral organ. On the second day, there were talks and a song recital at the nearby church of St John the Baptist before we returned to the cathedral for a concert by the Schola Cantorum, of which Steven is also director of music. The third day brought a visit to Burghley House, including not only its wonderful interior and gardens but also a recital by Fergus Black on its historic chamber organ housed in a harpsichord case!

For the first time, in a joint venture with the Royal College of Organists, our Festival featured an organ competition for 18-26 year olds. The semi-finals were held in two colleges of Cambridge University resulting in, from left to right in the photo, Alex Jones (Eastman School, New York), Rong Rong (Shanghai Conservatory) and Callum Alger (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) being selected as finalists.

Our visit to Cambridge ended in spectacular style with a complete performance of Widor’s Fifth Symphony by Martin Baker in the chapel of King’s College.

Highlights of the last day included a Masterclass by Martin Baker on improvisation and a harpsichord recital by Edward Higginbottom.

On the last evening of the Festival, each competition finalist gave a 40-minute recital in Peterborough Cathedral. The adjudicators, Martin Baker, Edward Higginbottom & Steven Grahl awarded the first prize of £1000 and offers of recitals in UK cathedrals to Callum Alger.

IAO Festival audience assembled in the chapel of Kings College, Cambridge