A Celebration of the Organ of All Saints

Come and hear a festival of organ music at All Saints on Saturday 17 March, and join in supporting two African outreach projects, nominated by Partners in Mission. From 10.30 in the morning, until 3.30 in the afternoon, the organ will be played by five of our talented regular organists, Stephen Axford, Paul Dickens, Roger Lander, Craig Nathan and Richard Watts, then at 4.00pm there will be a celebrity recital given by international concert artist, Jane Watts. We are delighted and privileged that Jane Watts has given her services free of charge.

The day is being organised to raise money for two projects in Africa. The Music and Drama initiative to raise AIDS awareness in Tanzania is important work that we have been supporting for some time. The second, new, project is to raise money to buy musical instruments for use in the Ugandan New Model School, and the Cathedral in Misindi, Uganda, supporting both education and worship.

We hope to see lots of people in church on the day. Admission is free until 3.30, just come and go as you please – and leave a donation!
Tickets for Jane Watts’s recital will be £4 and will include a glass of wine afterwards.

Jane Watts - Programme for All Saints Leighton Buzzard

 

J S Bach Prelude & Fugue in G BWV 542
Guilmant Pastorale
Morceau de Concert
Widor Adagio and Finale from Symphony No 2
Bonnet Clair de Lune
W T Best Concert Fantasia on a Welsh March ("Men of Harlech")

JANE WATTS

Website: www.janewatts.co.uk

Jane Watts enjoys a solo career that has taken her all over the world: she has given recitals in Europe, the USA, Hong Kong, Barbados, Australia and New Zealand, and made numerous appearances in Festivals and concerts throughout the United Kingdom. Amongst her many professional commitments in 2005 she was both a soloist in and a member of the jury of the prestigious St Albans International Organ Festival. 2006 saw her give recitals again in America - her ninth visit - and in France, in addition to numerous engagements throughout Britain.

Jane Watts has been an exclusive recording artist with Priory Records since 1988. "From the first few bars, you can tell why Jane Watts’ performances have gathered such superlatives" began the review in Gramophone magazine of her recording made on the organ of the Ulster Hall, Belfast. Other recordings, including those from Westminster Abbey, Chartres Cathedral, Orléans Cathedral and Sydney Town Hall have been equally well received, as has a recording of Handel Organ Concerti, conducted by Sir David Willcocks. Priory’s most recent issue is of a recital recorded in Wellington Cathedral, New Zealand: a further recital, recorded in Sydney, will be issued in 2007. Jane Watts has also made numerous recital recordings for BBC Radio 3 in Britain, France and Germany, and broadcast on radio in America, Australia and New Zealand.

Miss Watts has been organist of the Bach Choir since 1991, the only woman since the Choir’s foundation in 1876 to hold the post, and in addition to performing with the Choir throughout the world, has also featured in its recordings: one especially notable appearance was as soloist with the Choir during their visit to the 10th Al-Bustan Festival in Beirut, during which she performed the formidable organ part in the world premiere of Naji Hakim’s Gloria.

Amongst the orchestras with which Jane Watts has appeared as soloist are the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. Conductors with whom she has appeared include Matthias Bamert, Richard Hickox, David Hill, John Mauceri (with whom she made her debut at the Proms), Sir Roger Norrington, Tadaaki Otaka, Howard Shelley, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Sir David Willcocks.