James Lancelot was born in 1952. A Choristes of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music where he studied with Ralph Downes, winning the Stuart Prize.

In 1971 he became Organ Scholar of King’s College, Cambridge and toured frequently with the choir as well as accompanying the regular Chapel services. He was appointed Sub-Organist of Winchester Cathedral in 1975. Ten happy years there saw regular service-playing and choir-training, numerous concerts, recordings and broadcasts, tours to Europe and North America, numerous solo recitals including a tour of New Zealand in 1978, and study with Gillian Weir and Nicholas Danby.

In 1985 James Lancelot came to Durham. Cathedral as Master of the Choristers and Organist, taking responsibility for the cathedral’s musical ministry and becoming organist of one of the finest organs in Britain. He has taken the choir on tour to Holland, Denmark and USA. He has worked regularly with the London Festival Orchestra. The choir records on the Priory label, and has made numerous broadcast appearances.

In addition to his work at the cathedral, James Lancelot pursues a recital career both in Britain and abroad.

Recent years have seen visite to Holland, Poland, Germanty, Denmark and the USA, as well as numerous recitals in Britain, including the celebrity series at St Paul’s Cathedral, and further CD recordings. 1998 brings engagements in seven English Cathedrals, as well as his visit to Chartres where lie was a finalist in the International Organ Competition in 1976).

James Lancelot is Conductor of Durham University Choral Society; a Council Member of the Royal College of Organists, and a member of the Cathedrals Liturgical Group.

http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/worshipandmusic/organists/james-lancelot

Born in July 1920, she was student of Marcel Dupré at the Paris Conservatory and obtained a 1st Prize in 1946.

She also received valuable lessons from Jean Langlais.

While pursuing a career as a performer and improviser, Micheline Lagache succeeded in the early 1950s to Jules Fleurdeau keyboards of the great organs of the former church of the Augustinian convent of the place of the Petits Peres.

In 1987 she retired, while retaining some substitutions services at the Saint-Denis Basilica. Organ professor at the CNR of Nantes and the fourteenth district of Paris, she is remembered as an excellent teacher and a musician of high class.

Honorary organist of the Kern organ of the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories (Paris II).

† 1999

Denis Havard de la Montagne
www.musimem.com
(with his permission)

Born in 1982, Thomas LACÔTE was trained at the conservatories of Poitiers and Saint-Maur des Fossés, and at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris, where he awarded five first prizes including three unanimously and training diploma top musicologist (research-creation-composition) highest honors. He was a student of musical personalities such prominent composers Michael Levinas, Édith Lejet, Marc-André Dalbavie and Thierry Escaich or organists Éric Lebrun, Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefebvre, Louis Robilliard Pierre Pincemaille and pianist François J. Zygel.

At age 20, he was appointed organist contest the Grand Organ of the Cathedral of Bourges. In 2006 he became artistic director of the Very Rich Hours of the organ in Berry, International Organ Festival of the Cathedral of Bourges. In 2003, he received the first prize of Bach’s St. Peter the Nemours (jury chaired by Michel Chapuis). He performs in concert in France and Europe, combining repertoire and improvisation.

In spring 2011, Thomas was appointed LACÔTE Great Organ of Deputy holder of the Trinity Church in Paris, on the instrument which was for 60 years one of Olivier Messiaen.

LACÔTE Thomas is a professor of writing and analysis at the CRR of Aubervilliers-La Courneuve and at the upper pole of music education in Seine-Saint-Denis / Ile de France. He is also Associate Professor CSNM of Paris from the upper class analysis of Michael Levinas.

He is the author of publications and research on composers Charles Tournemire, Olivier Messiaen and Jean-Pierre Leguay, in various journals and in the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Organs news, in which he published the chronicle “Quid Novi?” dedicated to the organ music of the twentieth century.

In collaboration with musicologists Yves Balmer and Christopher Brent Murray, he is currently preparing for editions Symmetry innovative book on Olivier Messiaen’s writing techniques, which received a special award of the jury writing the 2011 Muses Prize.

As a composer he has received commissions from Radio France, the Feldkirch Festival (Austria), the French Federation of the Little Singers, conservatories of Poitiers, Charleville-Mezieres and Paray-le-Monial. He is the author of works for and with organ (Three Studies ; Versant temperate ; Crystal time for soprano saxophone and organ) and vocal works (Caelestis urbs Jerusalem, 12 male voices a capella). His work led to the particular interest in the work on the stamp, text-music relationships, the full exploitation of the intrinsic resources of modern and old instruments or instead of space, real or metaphorical, in writing music. His last work, the Book of Psalms for organ and choir, Organ command Béthunois, was created in October 2011 by the Aedes choir and organist Ghislain Leroy.

Finalist 2008 Chartres International Organ Competition.

http://www.leparisdesorgues.fr/organistes/lac%C3%B4te-thomas/

Born in Milano (Italy) in 1979, Alessandro La Ciacera was a organ scholar at Conservatorio Verdi, Milano, from 1996-2000, where he studied with Luigi Benedetti. He graduated in Organ and Organ Composition with distinction. He attended numerous master classes with Arturo Sacchetti e Alessio Corti (interpretation).

In 2001/2002 he was awarded three prizes at italian organ competitions (first prize in Roma and Vanzaghello, second prize in Viterbo national competition) and in 2009 he won the “Troisième prix d’interpretation” – Concours de Luxembourg and the “First prix d’interpretation” – Concours de Ovada (I).

Since 2003 he is professor for organ and piano at “Pontifical Ambrosian Institute of Sacred Music” in Milan. In 2005 he took up a position as Second Organist at the Cathedral of Milan.

Within his broad range of musical interests, he has a strong focus on the music of our time : his repertoire spans seven centuries up to works by Duruflé, Messiaen, Alain.

In 2005 he is invited by Karlheinz Stockhausen to performance “Himmelfahrt” – his new composition for organ- in premiered World at Milan’s Cathedral.

Alessandro received important inspirations for his work as sacred composer from Luciano Migliavacca, choir director at Milan’s Cathedral : since 2005 he compose mass and motets for the liturgies of the Cathedral and piano/instumental compositions for the activity of teaching of the Cathedral boy’s Choir.

He was appointed member of the “Congregation of the Ambrosian Rite” since 2011 by the Archbishop of Milan.

His CD recordings are published by Bottega Discantica, and includes music by Italian romantic composers and Luciano Migliavacca. In August 2011 he will record the complete organ works of Jean Alain by Fugatto Edition.

Alessandro LA CIACERA – Chartres 2011

Nicholas Kynaston was born in Devon, England, and was a student of Fernando Germani and Ralph Downes. He was organist at Westminster Cathedral from 1961 to 1971, working since then as a freelance Concert Organist. In 1995, he was appointed organist to the Athens Concert Hall and he joined the teaching staff at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2002.

Nicholas Kynaston has made more than 30 commercial recordings which reflect his wide repertoire. Recently released is a CD from the Athens Concert Hall (Priory) and a forthcoming CD from the Handel Concert Hall in Halle (IFO). He is the recipient of many awards, including the coveted Deutscher Schallplattenpreis. His Liszt CD from Ingolstadt (Guild) was nominated in Gramophone magazine successively as Editor’s Choice, Soundings Choice, and Critics’ Choice.

Nicholas Kynaston has been a regular visitor to the USA since his first tour there in 1974. In 2000, he was a Featured Artist at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Seattle and has since played at venues in New York, Washington, and San Diego.

An annual visitor to Germany since 1966, he recently played the inaugural recital for the newly formed Institut Louis Vierne of Saarbrucken. Other notable engagements include a performance of the Bossi Concerto with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Poulenc Concerto for the inauguration of the new organ in the Handel Concert Hall. Recent concerts in Northern Europe include the Talinn Festival in Estonia and further south, St Eustache, Paris, the Pontifical Institute in Rome, and the Konzerthaus in Vienna. He plays regularly in Athens, often with orchestra, recently with the Athens Camerata conducted by Sir Neville Marriner.

As well as performing at Westminster Cathedral, this season sees him giving concerts at the Aarhus International Festival in Denmark, the Rheingau Festival, Wiesbaden, the Aachener Bachtage, the Ludlow Festival, Bath Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral, and three performances of the Poulenc Concerto in Greece and Germany.

Nicholas Kynaston is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a past President of the Incorporated Association of organists. He has acted as consultant for the building of a number of new organs, including Bath Abbey, as well as the restoration of historic organs. He has recently been appointed Curator of the organs at Rugby School, where he was the consultant for the new Chapel organ.

Born in Grenoble, Jean-Willy Kunz studied piano and organ under the guidance of Joseph Coppey at the Conservatory there. Accepted in the class of Louis Robilliard at the Conservatoire de Lyon in 1992, he earned the gold medal six years later from a unanimous jury. He then pursued his studies in jazz piano with Mario Stantchev at the Conservatoire de Lyon and founded a duo of saxophone and organ with Frédéric Lagoutte.

A long-time resident of Québec, Jean-Willy studied the organ and harpsichord at Montreal’s Music Conservatory under the guidance of Mireille Lagacé, winning prizes in organ, harpsichord, harmony and counterpoint.

In the spring of 2011, Jean-Willy graduated with a doctorate in organ performance from McGill University under the guidance of John Grew. Jean-Willy is winner of the 2004 Lynnwood Farnam Competition in Quebec and 2008 Second Prizewinner at the Grand Prix de Chartres.

Jean-Willy KUNZ – Chartres 2008

http://jwkunz.com/

Ksiazkiewicz Lydia (born in Poznan) – Polish pianist and organist . She graduated from playing the piano and organ at the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz and Poznan.

Postgraduate studies in the field of organ held in France in Saint-Maur/Paris Conservatory under Professor Éric Lebrun, where he received the Premier Prix d’Excellence. At the same conservatory was also studied in the classroom harpsichord. She has won many music competitions : Grand Prix d’orgue de l’Academie des Beaux Arts in Angers, France ; Grand Prix Music Competition in Warsaw of the twentieth century International Organ Competition in Rimini, Italy, place and special prize ; International Competition in Chartres, finalist diploma ; International Organ Competition them. C. Franck in Haarlem, the third place ; International Organ Competition of Max Reger and Olivier Messiaen in Graz, special award ; Music Competition in Warsaw of the twentieth century – the Grand Prix.

She performs regularly at many prestigious music festivals in Europe (including Vienna ORF Radio Hall, Philharmonic Hall in Bilbao , and Krakow, Notre-Dame in Paris , Haarlem, Copenhagen, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Bordeaux, Saint-Remy) and also participates juries in organ competitions. As a soloist she played with many orchestras, including Symphony orchestra in Krakow Philharmonic, Slovak Sinfonietta, and the Orchestre de Bretagne. Lidia Ksiazkiewicz is a lecturer, playing the organ and piano in two French conservatories. She is also the author of numerous publications on teaching and master classes piano and organ.

Lidia KSIAZKIEWICZ – Chartres 2004

Tong-Soon Kwak was born into a musical family in Seoul, South Korea. She was greatly influenced by her father, Sang-Soo Kwak, a well-known conductor and organist in South Korea, she studied organ with him at Yonsei University. Her Fulbright Scholarship permitted her to study organ with Marilyn Mason and harpsichord with Ed Parmentier at the University of Michigan, USA, where she obtained Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees.

She has performed extensively in Korea, USA, Europe as well as Asia and has served on international competition juries such as Calgary, Canada CIOC, Jordan, Erfurt, Odense, Russia Tariverdiev, Musashino-Tokyo… She is the artistic director of Torch International Organ Academy in Seoul.

She has performed with the Korean National Symphony and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestras. Her recording was released by KBS, Korean National Radio as a part of the series ‘Korean Musicians of the 21St Century’.

Tong-Soon Kwak has served as a President of the Korean Association of Organists as well as a Director of Church Music Research Society of Korea. She is currently Professer of Organ, Director of Music Research Institute and Chairman of the Church Music Department at Yonsei University in Seoul, where she has been a faculty member since 1987.

Tong-Soon KWAK – Chartres 2010

http://www.concertartistcooperative.com/kwak.html

Grethe KROGH was Professor of Organ and Chairman of the Organ Department at the Royal Danish Academy of Music for several years. Prior to her appointment at the Academy, she was organist at the famous Holmens Church in Copenhagen. In 1990 she left the Academy to devote more time to her career as concert organist.

Grethe Krogh graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Music with degrees in piano, organ and harpsichord. Additional studies were undertaken with André Marchal in Paris.

An extensive concert career has taken Grethe Krogh throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union, Canada, Japan, and the United States. She has served on juries for international organ competitions, including the prestigious Chartres and Nuremberg competitions. She is internationally acclaimed by critics for her performances and many recordings on Lyrichord Discs, EMI, Dacapo and Danacord. She is especially recognized for her interpretation of Danish music, including the organ works of Carl Nielsen. Her keen interest in contemporary music has led to several premiere performances of new works for organ. She has attracted students from throughout Europe and the United States. Many of her students have distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and important collegiate and church positions.

Grethe Krogh has received many honours and awards, including the coveted prize from the Copenhagen Music Critics, the Tagea Brandt’s Prize of Honour, the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie-Carl Nielsen Prize of honour, and the Prize of Honour of the Carl Nielsen Society in Denmark 2005.

http://www.grethekrogh.dk/02hovedsideeng.htm

Organist and Choirmaster, Dale Krider leads musical activities at St. Andrew’s. Dale is organist, plans the music for all services and special concerts, directs the parish choir, and oversees the Concert Series since June of 2000.

He holds degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, the College of Church Musicians of Washington Cathedral and earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Catholic University. He is a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists.