Mercoledì 7 Dicembre 2011, Ore 21:00
L’organo di Sant’Antonio dei Portoghesi in Roma
Rettore: Mons. Agostinho Borges
Organista titolare: Giampaolo Di Rosa
Concerto di organo nel terzo anniversario dell’inaugurazione
Organista: Roger Sayer (Cattedrale di Rochester, Gran Bretagna)
PROGRAMMA:
G. Edmundson (1892-1971), Toccata prelude super Von himmel hoch
J.S. Bach (1685-1750), Preludio e fuga in DO BWV 547
M. Dupré (1886-1971), Le monde dans l'attente du Sauveur
J. Langlais (1907-1991), Nativité
M. Dupré (1886-1971), Variation sur un Noël
J. S. Bach (1685-1750), Corale „Nun komm der heiden heiland BWV 659“
H. Mulet (1887-1967), Carillon Sortie
Roger Sayer is Organist of Rochester Cathedral. He began his musical career as a chorister in Portsmouth. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music under the late Nicholas Danby, winning all the major organ prizes. Between 1980 and 1984 he was organ student at St. Paul's Cathedral, London and in 1981 was appointed organist of Woodford Parish Church, where he built up a fine musical tradition.
Since graduating he has been constantly in demand as an organist and conductor. He makes regular visits to Scandinavia as well as giving numerous concerts in most parts of Europe and the USA, including performances in St Paul's Cathedral, London in the Celebrity Series and Riverside Church in New York. In 1989 he won third prize in the St Albans International Organ Competition and in the same year was appointed Assistant Organist at Rochester Cathedral. In 1994 Roger was promoted to the position of Organist and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral; his responsibilities included directing the traditional boys' choir on a daily basis as well as directing the Girls' Choir & Senior Girls' Choir which he established in 1995 and 2004 respectively. In September 2008 he relinquished the post to concentrate on his freelance activities but remains as Cathedral Organist. Roger is the Musical Director of the Rochester Choral Society.
Roger has made numerous highly acclaimed recordings both as an organist and conductor. He frequently directs choral workshops and has initiated and directed several projects including Britten's Noah's Fludde and a Children's music education week. During the past few years he has played many of the monthly concerts of the Great Organ Works series which he founded at Rochester including the complete organ works of J.S. Bach in 2005.
His concerts in many parts of the world have included the organ symphonies of Vierne and all the Organ Works of Duruflé. In the last two years, his performances have taken him to Iceland, Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and U.S.A. He accompanies many choirs including the world famous Tenebrae. He is the accompanist to the London Symphony Chorus which involves working closely with famous conductors such as Sir Colin Davis, Valery Gergiev and Sir Mark Elder. The Midas Touch Organ Duo, which he co-founded with Charles Andrews, has performed concerts in Ireland, the U.K. (including the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester) and the U.S.A. Their repertoire has a unique flavour, including transcriptions of the James Bond theme tunes. Soon they will premiere a new organ sonata commissioned from David Briggs.
Roger has recently worked with the composer Patrick Hawes, and is featured on his award-winning CD, Song of Songs. This includes a toccata specially written for him.
Aside from Roger's playing engagements, he also adjudicates, examines for the ABRSM and runs choral workshops.
