Pre-Concert Lecture 6:00 p.m., Recital Hall

Recital 7:00 p.m., Concert Hall

Open to the public. Admission is free. 

This special concert is made possible by a bequest of the late David Roossien, whose generosity continues to enhance Hope College’s vibrant tradition of musical excellence. 

Before the recital, Mr. Briggs will give a lecture on improvisation, an art for which he is internationally renowned. The lecture is co-sponsored by The Holland Chapter of the The American Guild of Organists.

David Briggs, Organist Emeritus of Gloucester Cathedral, UK, and Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, is an internationally acclaimed organist known for his virtuosity, musicality, and ability to captivate audiences of all ages. Recognized as one of the leading organists of his generation, his repertoire spans five centuries, and he is celebrated for his transcriptions of orchestral works, offering audiences a fresh perspective on the organ. 

“Mr. Briggs is one of our finest organists, and also a particularly good transcriber of orchestral works for his own instrument,” — The New York Times 

He has arranged works by Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Bruckner, Ravel, Bach, and Mahler (including Mahler’s Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth symphonies). Described by Michael Barone, host of American Public Media’s Pipedreams, as “an intrepid improviser,” Briggs frequently performs live improvisations to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Nosferatu, Jeanne d’Arc, Metropolis, King of Kings, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The General, and several Charlie Chaplin films. 

Briggs earned his FRCO (Fellow of the Royal College of Organists) diploma at age 17, receiving the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He studied as an Organ Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge University, and with Jean Langlais in Paris. He was the first British winner of the Tournemire Prize at the St. Albans International Improvisation Competition and also won first prize at the International Improvisation Competition in Paisley. His early career included positions at Hereford, Truro, and Gloucester Cathedrals.

Committed to keeping organ music vibrant and accessible, Briggs gives pre-concert talks and demonstrations, teaches performance at Cambridge University, serves on international competition juries, and conducts master classes across the U.S. and Europe. 

He performs over 50 concerts each year at prestigious venues worldwide, including Maison Symphonique (Montreal), Royal Albert Hall (London), Notre-Dame, St. Sulpice, and St. Eustache (Paris), Kimmel Center (Philadelphia), Berlin Philharmonie, St. James Cathedral (Toronto), International Performing Arts Center (Moscow), Valencia Cathedral (Spain), National Auditorium (Madrid), Christ Church Cathedral (Victoria, BC), Nidaros Cathedral (Trondheim, Norway), Grace Cathedral (San Francisco), and King’s College (Cambridge). 

Program: 

Tanets (2019) (5’) – Naji Hakim (b. 1955) 

Intermezzo (6’) – Jehan Alain (1911–1940) 

Concerto in D major, BWV 1054 (1738) (16’) – J.S. Bach (1685–1750), transcribed for organ by Bernard Winsemius 

I. Allegro 

II. Adagio e piano sempre 

III. Allegro 

Cantabile Symphonique (11’) – Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921), arr. Virgil Fox 

Four Concert Improvisations (24’) – David Briggs (b. 1962) 

in the styles of J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn, and Maurice Ravel 

Total music duration: 62 minutes 

Plus: 10 minutes of verbal introductions by David Briggs 

For more information about David Briggs, visit www.david-briggs.org