Irena Kosikova of Prague is the seventh organist at our spring 2020 season of Wednesday@One. We spoke to him about his upcoming organ recital to find out what we can expect from his programme as well as finding out more about his career.Could you tell us about your musical background and how you got into playing the organ?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I was born in Prague, my parents were writers (prohibited philosopher Karel Kosík and literary scientist Růžena Grebeníčková, the Herder prize laureate). I always admired the sound of the grand organ, so I began my organ studies Prof. Jan Hora, together with piano lessons given by Prof. Eliška Kleinová (sister of “Terezín Composer” Gideon Klein) and Prof. Arnoštka Grünfeldová (author of famous Böhmová-Grünfeldová-Sarauer Piano School). Later I studied organ performance with Prof. Jaroslava Potměšilová and conducting with Prof. Karel Fiala at Ježek’s Conservatory. For political reasons I was refused to further my studies. I took private composition lessons with Prof. Miroslav Raichl.</span>Finally after the Velvet Revolution I was accepted at the Janáček Academy of Music (JAMU) in Brno into the organ class of Prof. Alena Veselá and Prof. Kamila Klugarová. I graduated at the Academy of Music (HAMU) in Prague, under the guidance of Prof. Josef Popelka.Since then I give organ concerts and I compose.Why did you pick the pieces you are playing at your organ recital?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I’ll be performing Canzona in D minor (BWV 588), followed by Organ Sonata No.3 in D minor (BWV 527), Aus der Tiefe rufe ich (BWV 745) and Toccata and Fugue in D minor – Dorian (BWV 538)</span>As you already might suspect, I’m a great fun of Bach’s music. So, this recital will be featuring his music. And while on this organ tour in the UK, I was asked by some of the venues to perform my new organ piece Labyrinthe VI. pour orgue (2019).Not mentioning that this year we are commemorating the 335th anniversary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach!I’m already looking forward to play the Cathedral Organ in Bradford.You also compose music; how would you describe the pieces you compose?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">It was well describe by one of my colleagues: “It’s so compelling, dark and brooding. The solo cello part reminded me somewhat of the role of cantor in synagogue music, with its powerful, declamatory, yet persuasive, language.”</span>He was referring to cello concerto MAKANNA, that was based on the novel of Czech writer Jiří Weil (1900 – 1959), about the rise and fall of the 7th century false prophet with his face covered with the green veil and his eyes glowing as embers.It was premiered at the Convent of St Agnes of Bohemia in Prague, under the auspices of Sir Tom Stoppard and Václav Havel. Later the music was featured in music documentary film MAKANNA, recently screened in Beijing (the 9the European Union Film Festival in China), in Lisbon (MUVI – International Music Film Festival in Portugal), Prague (Festival Brikcius – Chamber Music Concert Series & Daniel Pearl World Music Days), in Mexico (FIC AUTOR – Author’s International Film Festival) and in London (Waltham Forest Cello Fest – “London Borough of Culture meets Classical Music”).The best is to listen to it. For example via Spotify.You play a lot of work by Johann Sebastian Bach; what is it about him as a composer that you like?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Simply, I’m obsessed with organ work by musical genius Johann Sebastian Bach. You can always find something new in his scores. It’s like a never ending story, that has to be told again and again.</span>As an organist I specialises in the interpretation of organ works written by Johann Sebastian Bach: including performances of the complete Organ Toccatas, Voluntaries, Leipzig Chorales, The Art of Fugue, Organ Mass.Finally, what are your plans for the rest of 2020?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">There will be few more organ concerts in London in following days. Than I have to go back to France, where I need to work on two new compositions (soon to be premiered in the Czech republic, China, France and the United Kingdom) and to finalise the dramaturgy of the 5th BACH FESTIVAL GERS (June – August 2020).</span>Then more organ concerts in France (again mainly with music J. S. Bach) and editing my new recording for final release. Plus there are several other organ projects to do.For more details subscribe to my YouTube channel.Join us for our weekly Wednesday@One Organ Recitals at 1pm, with a lunch buffet available from 12:30pm. Irena Kosikova will be playing on Wednesday 26th February 2020. More information on this recital, all others and this season’s coffee concerts can be found in the programme available to buy from the recitals and concerts.
"Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life. Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your span of life?"Listen back to Sunday's sermon by Dean Jerry, as well as Bishop Nick's talk and Evensong sermon, at https://bradfordcathedral.org/worship/listen-back/
Our next Coffee Concert is with pianist Jill Crossland, and takes places on Tuesday 10th March at 11am, with refreshments from 10:30am.Jill Crossland has an active concert and recording career including many appearances at London’s South Bank and Wigmore Hall, Sage Gateshead and other major venues such as Bridgewater Hall, Vienna Musikverein, Vienna Konzerthaus and Leipzig Gewandhaus. Jill has been in the Arts Council Musicians in Residence scheme for Yorkshire and the Classic FM Hall of Fame.Could you give us some background to you as a musician?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I started when I was four-and-a-half; my mum taught me. My father loved music. He was really instrumental in my playing the piano. I used to go to a local Saturday school and had piano lessons there, which gave me a first opportunity to play in public. When I was eleven, I went to Chethams School of Music, then the Royal Northern, and eventually to study in Vienna.</span>I loved Vienna; it was an amazing, rich city, full of culture, with the art, architecture and coffee houses. It was just a fabulous place to live.You have a coffee concert with us in March. How did you pick your pieces?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I focus on Bach because of my father, who loved Bach. I do like to play the classical repertoire and some romantic music as well. With the Beethoven Sonata, that’s something I’ve only started playing recently. I know that lots of people love this Sonata; people will come up to me and tell me that it’s one of their favourites. It’s very challenging musically but it’s quite short, and ultimately quite profound.</span>I also have played and recorded the entirety of The Well-Tempered Clavier which I learnt when I was at the Royal Northern. My teacher thought that I had an affinity with Bach. I’ve performed selections from the Well-tempered many times.You’ve played in many prestigious places. What’s the one that’s most stood out?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Absolutely; the Wigmore Hall was a beautiful place to play in. In Vienna, the Musikverein is such an incredible place as well, and I’ve also played in Leipzig at the Gewandhaus, which was a very special place to play.</span>What are your plans for the rest of 2020?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Just to keep on playing in some wonderful places!</span>Join Jill Crossland on piano on Tuesday 10th March at 11am at Bradford Cathedral. Entry is free.
Alexander Woodrow is the sixth organist at our spring 2020 season of Wednesday@One. We spoke to him about his upcoming organ recital to find out what we can expect from his programme as well as finding out more about his career.Could you tell us a little about your organ recital in April?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I’m playing four pieces. From Germany, there’s a substantial Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach, which is a wonderful and intense piece that’s fifteen-minutes long, with brilliant counterpoint and chromatic harmony.</span>Then by Cesar Franck, a Belgium-born composer who spent most of his life working in France, we have the Pièce Héroïque. That really comes alive with the punchy swell reeds of the Bradford Cathedral organ, and the sense of space that the building’s lofty proportions lend it It’s a superb example of Romantic 19th century organ writing.On top of that I’m playing some neo-classical variations by a 20th century Dutch composer called Hendrick Andriessen, written with bright and crisp neo-baroque instruments in mind. They are a really intriguing set of variations, all with different registrations and textures.Then finally from England, the D minor Fantasia and Toccata by C.V. Stanford, which is written very much for an English romantic instrument, which allows me to draw upon the <span style="font-size: 1rem;">warmer colours of the Bradford organ, some of them of historically appropriate Victorian and Edwardian vintage.</span>Does having that variety in a programme showcase what the organ can sound like?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I think any recital attendant likes to hear a balanced programme. When selecting a programme I try to balance different sounds, different eras and different degrees of variation in dynamics. I think it will work out as quite a colourful programme. I’ve realised that, in retrospect, every single piece is in a minor key but it’s certainly not a depressing programme! It has plenty of variety, contrast and energy.</span>Alongside your organ recital here in February, that month is also an exciting time for you in terms of a new role?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">It is, because I’m moving for at least half of the week back to Yorkshire to take up the role of Director of Music at Leeds Minster, so it will be lovely to be in the next city across from Bradford and indeed to have the cathedral just twenty minutes away from me.</span>I’ll be living in Shipley, which is very much the Bradford patch and only a few hundred yards from where I used to have a house in Saltaire, so it will be lovely to return to that neck of the woods as well.You were the Director of Music at Bradford Cathedral as well?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Yes, I had a very enjoyable fourteen terms at Bradford and it was a very positive experience for me. I was very young at the time and it was a wonderful experience to make music at Bradford and to get fully involved with the chorister training, the outreach work, and the day to day work of the Cathedral Choir. I felt part of a warm community and met some amazing people.</span>You return to us in April with your coffee concert on piano. Have you got any sneak previews of what we can expect then?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">That will be with my brother who is a professional violinist based over in Manchester. We don’t play that regularly together but occasionally in holidays, if we’re together in York, we have fun preparing different programmes. He’s put down quite a varied selection.</span>There’s some French Romantic music on the programme; a Mozart sonata which will be really super; a Moto Perpetuo by English Composer Frank Bridge; and some Lili Boulanger and Clara Schumann. Clara Schumann’s 200th anniversary of birth was just last year so it’s very nice that her work is being re-discovered and coming more to light. The Lili Boulanger piece was from around the time of the First World War and is very colourful: it sounds a bit like Debussy. I’m looking forward to that too, playing on the cathedral’s wonderful Steinway grand piano.Finally, do you have any big plans for the year?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">For me it’s about settling into Leeds and getting a handle on the music making there, getting fully immersed in that. It’s also becoming accustomed to the idea of having two geographical bases, as I’m going to be spending half of the week in the West Midlands continuing my piano and organ teaching work at Solihull School, and running that in parallel with the post at Leeds. I’m sure to be kept busy!</span>Join us for our weekly Wednesday@One Organ Recitals at 1pm, with a lunch buffet available from 12:30pm. Alexander Woodrow will be playing on Wednesday 19th February 2020. More information on this recital, all others and this season’s coffee concerts can be found in the programme available to buy from the recitals and concerts.
