May 13th, 2023 recording of the concert by Arthur Saunier (Video by Cao-Thang Jeffrey Pham) :
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Linda Revkin and Rebecca MacDonnald, organists and founding members of « Amis de l’orgue Auditoire Calvin » (AOA) talk about the history of the organ festival “Souffle de Printemps” and offer a few thoughts about organ music today. Interview by Nayoung Kim Millius: (Click here!)
Organ Festivals abound in Geneva, because of its wealth of churches and the variety of organs found therein. Perhaps the most well known Organ Festival is the one that takes place in St. Peter’s Cathedral. However, next door, is a modest sized church, the Auditoire de Calvin, where a new Organ Festival has begun to take shape.
This Festival is celebrating, not only recent renovations made to the Auditoire, but the arrival of one of the youngest organs in Geneva; a beautiful instrument built especially for the Auditoire by Bernard Aubertin. M. Aubertin is a celebrated and internationally acclaimed French organ builder. He designed the nineteen stop, two manual tracker action organ encased in solid oak with elegant ornamentations. It was installed in 2014 and is the only Aubertin organ in Switzerland.
The organ was specifically designed to play a major role both in worship and in concerts and in recitals. Unlike many organs, situated on a balcony high above the audiences, the Aubertin organ is at the front of the Auditoire. The organist ‘s dexterity and passion are shared with the public in an intimate setting.
The Festival, now named “Souffle de Printemps”, actually began in 2015. It was initiated by two organists, Rebecca MacDonald and Linda Revkin, who, in 2006 dared to dream of a new organ for the Auditoire. The dream became a reality and thus they began the Festivals to acquaint the public with this extraordinary instrument and to promote promising, as well as established organists in and around Geneva for whom a new instrument, such as the Aubertin organ, is both a challenge and a delight.
Discover those musicians, who have already performed on the Aubertin organ and the upcoming artists for the next Festival, by exploring our Web Site.
Above all, come and enjoy these wonderful concerts! Entrance is free with a retiring collection. With the support of the EPG.
(Last update : August 28, 2023, Home Page: Artist for 2024)