ORGAN CONCERT 

SIMON HARDEN

Winner 2007 Schnitger International
Organ Competition, Alkmaar (Holland)

on Monday  21st July
7.30 pm  at St. John's Church
Southside Road, Inverness
Admission free  

Simon Harden has a recital in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow on Sunday 20th July and a concert at St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh on 23rd July. For more information about these events visit: www.organrecitals.com

Irish organist wins the International Schnitger Orgelconcours Alkmaar

The ninth International Schnitger Orgelconcours has been won by the Irish organist Simon Harden.  In addition, Harden won the audience prize, which he received from Wim van der Ham, chairman of the Schnitger committee. 

Each finalist performed Buxtehude's Te Deum Laudamus, and Andreas Werckmeister's Canzona in a on the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ, as well as 2 chorale preludes and one of the 3 basso ostinato works of Buxtehude, as assigned by the jury.  

The jury consisted of the organists Michel Bouvard(France), Andrea Marcon (Italy), Naomi Matsui (Japan), Wolfgang Zerer (Germany) and Pieter van Dijk (The Netherlands).

Simon Harden

The winner Simon Harden was born in Dublin where he received his secondary school education and was first introduced to the organ.  In 1995 he enrolled at Trinity College Dublin to study Music and History of Art.  During his time at TCD he was Organ Scholar to the college and later conductor of the Chapel Choir, leading them on a tour of New York and recording a CD of choir and organ music.  On graduating he took a part-time teaching position at the TCD School of Music and worked as a freelance organist in Dublin.
Engagements included deputising in Christchurch and St Patrick's Cathedral and regular performances with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.  In 2001, Simon went to Berlin where he concentrated his studies on diverse organ repertoire.  A particular interest in early music led him to Hamburg where he was awarded a DAAD scholarship and received a first-class diploma from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in 2004.
After studying French repertoire in Paris and receiving a 'Premier Prix', Simon returned to Hamburg where he received a scholarship from the City of Hamburg to complete a post-graduate degree in the organ soloist class.  He has held several positions as Organist and Choirmaster and is at present 'Kantor' at Gettorf in North Germany.  In October 2006, Simon won 2nd prize at the 'Grand Prix Bach de Lausanne' and in December 2006 the DAAD prize in Hamburg for 'outstanding performance and intercultural involvement'. 
Simon has a busy concert schedule  and engagements for 2008 take him to  France, Italy, Holland,  Scotland, Ireland, Germany and Switzerland .