Organ Reframed

Organ Reframed challenges artists and audiences to rethink the organ. It will invigorate this remarkable instrument and embed it in the music of the 21st century. The 3 day international festival features 8 new commissions and rare performances from musicians/artists from the UK, US and Canada.

The festival programme is curated by composer Claire M Singer:

“Curating Organ Reframed 2017 has been an incredibly exciting process. To have the opportunity to build on the organ’s rich history and bring it to the attention of a new generation of artists feels important. It may not be the most portable of instruments, but like any other it deserves a life. It deserves that life to be continued and its music to be developed, and that’s what I’m trying to do over three days with Organ Reframed.”- Claire M Singer

Friday 13 October
Organ Reframed: Six new works
Composed by Mira Calix, Emily Hall, Tim Hecker, Gordon Monahan, Phill Niblock and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith.

Performed by James McVinnie, London Contemporary Orchestra plus special guest Gordon Monahan
The opening night of Organ Reframed features six world premieres from composers at the forefront of new music. Each with their own unique voice, from the legendary avant-garde pioneer Phill Niblock to the classical/electronic composer Emily Hall, these works show just how versatile the organ is.

Mira Calix reflects on the current British political climate in her Brexit-inspired piece, entitled #DeHfo (the department of how to fuck ourselves). Emily Hall’s nostalgic work sees her looking back to her grandfather’s own organ, which was later turned into a bar by the new owner after he died. She ponders on how we don’t really own anything, we’re all just passing through. Gordon Monahan investigates the resonant aspects of the organ, the chapel, and the musical instruments of the ensemble, while Phill Niblock combines drones and microtones to challenge the audience’s expectations.

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has written a piece about the feeling you get before you do an activity that requires you to launch yourself fully into the experience, like sky diving. Speaking of the opportunity to take part in the festival she said:

“I’ve always wanted to compose for a pipe organ and am honoured to have been given the opportunity to do so. When I was studying composition in college, I remember reading that Stravinsky would always say that one’s composition isn’t complete until they’ve heard it on a pipe organ. It’s where you can truly hear how the harmonics play with each other. ” – Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

World Premiere / Commissioned by Organ Reframed.
In partnership with the London Contemporary Orchestra.


Saturday 14 October
Organ Reframed: Daylight Music
Paul Carter with Charlotte Hatherley, Seamus Fogarty & Ed Dowie, Martin White, Yazz Ahmed, James Brady & Alcyona Mick

After the transformative opening night of Organ Reframed settle down for a lazy afternoon of music, tea and cake. Expect remarkable organ music curated by Arctic Circle, plus the warm welcome and touch of fun the Daylight Music series is famed for.

The programme for Daylight Music is designed to appeal to people young and old. This session brings together incredible song writers Paul Carter, Charlotte Hatherley, Seamus Fogarty (whose new album Carlow Town is released on 6 October) and Ed Dowie, musician and comedian Martin White, trumpeters the jazz Yazz Ahmed and James Brady, and jazz pianist Alcyona Mick.

“The incredible quality of the music is foremost. When you couple that with the welcoming, almost homely, atmosphere and the stunning venue, it’s impossible to not fall in love with Daylight Music.” – A gig goer


Organ Reframed: Low
with support by Claire M Singer

For the second night of Organ Reframed we are proud to present a new organ work.