Gerben Mourik

Gerben Mourik (*1981)  obtained his degree in organ, specialising in chamber music, and his Master’s in organ and improvisation from the Brabant Conservatory (NL).  He also was awarded a “Church Music” degree (Utrecht’s Hogeschool voor de Kunsten) and a “School Music” degree (The Hague Royal Conservatory).  Since 2006, he has been organist at the St. Michaelskerk church in Oudewater.

 

In April 2013, he was appointed organist of the city of Oudewater.  On October 1st, 2017,  he was appointed organist and artistic director of the city of Klundert.  He is a music professor at Driestar College in Lekkerkerk. He was awarded first prize in the National Organ Improvisation Competition in Zwolle in 2003 as well as first prize in the International Organ Improvisation Competition in St. Alban’s (United Kingdom) in 2005.  In 2008, he won the Haarlem International Organ Improvisation Contest with a prize approved unanimously by the jury.  His “Audite Nova” series of CDs is a particularly noteworthy project: the series comprises five CDs which showcase 10 instruments commonly described as “neo-baroque”, covering a wide range of 20th-century organ music. 

 

He regularly publishes articles as a critic on the performance of music of the “Orgelbewegung” era (1920-1970).  Since January 2016, he has been a member of the editorial committee of the church music magazine “Vieren”.  He gives concerts frequently, always giving prominence to the promotion of Dutch music and the art of improvisation.  Teaching the skill of improvising is the basis of his work in Gouda, Oudewater and Klundert.