VIDEO PODCAST: Discussion about Bernard Haitink (1929-2021), Salzburg, Roger Doyle's Finnegans Wake Project, the English Symphony Orchestra, the Chopin Competition Warsaw, Los Angeles Opera and other subjects in our hour-long November 2021 video.
VIDEO PODCAST: Slava Ukraini! - recorded on 24 February 2022, the day the world woke up to the news that Vladimir Putin's Russian forces had invaded Ukraine. A fifty minute video which also features Caitríona O'Leary and Eric Fraad discussing their new film Island of Saints, and pays tribute to Joseph Horovitz, Malcolm Troup and Maria Nockin.
Born on 6 July 1937, Dutch composer and organist Jan Welmers studied initially with his father, the Dutch choirmaster, music teacher, organist, pianist and violinist Sijbe Welmers (1901-1958).
He was introduced to new music by Charles de Wolff and Johan van der Meer, and became known for his minimalist works and for forming a trio which improvised on various instruments, including electronic instruments.
He was organist of the Triumfatorkerk in Katwijk aan Zee (1964-74) and the regular player of the 1776 König organ in the Grote of Sint-Stevenskerk in Nijmegen (1974-2002).
In Bolsward, he won the 1966 National Organ Improvisation Competition. Later he won the Sweelinck Prize in 2005 for his compositions. Many of his organ composiions have been recorded.
Jan Welmers died on 7 March 2022, aged eighty-four.