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NATIONAL ORGAN PLAYING COMPETITION

The RCCO biennial National Organ Playing Competition was held during the Centennial Convention in Toronto in June and July. Following the semi final round at Church of the Holy Trinity, an international panel of jurors selected Aaron Tan, Matthew Coons and Kevin Dill to proceed to the final round July 1st at Lawrence Park Community Church. The competitors performed Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 by J.S. Bach, Chromatic Partita for Organ by Ruth Watson Henderson and a third work of the competitor's choice to complete a 45 minute programme.

The first prize of $3000, sponsored by Orgues Létourneau, was awarded to Aaron Tan, 23. Aaron Tan is a passionate engineer, pianist, violinist, and organist. A recipient of the Barwell Scholarship, the Toronto Centre's scholarship for pianists to study organ, he began his organ studies in 2004 with John Tuttle at the University of Toronto, his hometown. In 2007, he moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and currently studies with Marilyn Mason.

The second prize of $2000 is the Godfrey Hewitt Memorial Fund administered by the Ottawa Centre. Matthew Coons was awarded second prize. Winner of the 2008 Toronto Centre Competition for Young Organists, Matthew Coons has completed his third year in organ performance at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music where he studies organ with Dr Patricia Wright. A prizewinner at the Osborne Organ Competition, he is also an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists and, since September 2006, has been the organ scholar at Metropolitan United Church, Toronto. Matthew was introduced to the organ at a Pipe Organ Week! held in his hometown of Hamilton in 2006.

The third prize of $1000 is the Muriel Stafford Prize, awarded to Kevin Dill. This year, the prize has been generously donated by William Wright. Kevin Dill holds degrees in organ performance from the University of Victoria and the University of Alberta, studying with Dr Erich Schwandt, Michael Gormley, and Dr Marnie Giesbrecht. He is a 2005 recipient of the Royal Canadian College of Organists' Associateship Diploma (Willan prize). He was appointed Music Director at First Presbyterian Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania in 2006, responsible for playing the organ at two Sunday services and directing an active, multi-age program of choirs and handbells.

For information on booking a recital by one of the competition winners, contact manager@rcco.ca.

NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETS IN BRANTFORD

Click here for photos and reports from the National Council Meeting held in Brantford to commemorate the centennial of the RCCO.

BARRIE CABENA SCHOLARSHIP

Applications are invited for the annual Barrie Cabena Music Scholarship, administered by the Waterloo-Wellington Centre, RCCO.

Click here for newly released details!

PIPES AROUND THE PACIFIC

International Organ Festival, July 18-22. 2010.

Click here for newly released details!