Friends of the Auditoire Organ
Good News
The AOA committee is happy to announce that the Reverend WIllaim McComish has graciously accepted to become the new President of our Association. Rev. McComish is no stranger to Geneva as he was formerly the dean of St. Pierre Cathedrale.
Rev. McComish, educated in Ireland and Geneva, has given lectures at various universities around the world. Among other positions, he was Vice-President and Treasurer of the Eglise Protestant de Genève and a religious advisor to the World Economic Forum. Presently, he is founder and President of the Geneva Spiritual Appeal and President of charitable associations for Sénégal and Burkina Faso.
The AOA committee is grateful to Rev. McComish for giving us the benefit of his leadership skills. It is a privilege to have him with us and we look forward to a warm and productive working relationship.
CV - WIlliam McComish (Click here)
The Friends of the Organ in the Auditoire Calvin” Association was established on November 27, 2017, with the object and purpose:
- to organize and run a yearly Spring Organ Festival, featuring the Aubertin organ
- to promote promising, as well as established organists and musicians, mainly from Geneva, and also to introduce organists and musicians from elsewhere to Geneva music lovers;
- to give more visibility to the Aubertin organ that was installed in the Auditoire in 2014
- to put the spotlight on the Auditoire, an historic building that has recently been renovated.
Interview with the concert organizers, Linda Revkin & Rebecca Macdonald, by Nayoung Kim Millius (click here)
The AOA Committee
The AOA Committee is made up of:
President - William McComish*
Vice-President - Linda Revkin
Secretary - Rebecca MacDonald
Treasurer - Peter Eugster
Membership Secretary - Janis Schlatter
Publicity - Claudia Ritter
Festival Organizers - Linda Revkin & Rebecca MacDonald
Web Site: Site Design and Web Master - Charles O. Revkin, Site Content - Linda Revkin
* The Reverend William McComish passed away on October 3, 2024
Please click here for complete contact information.
AOA Members
The AOA association is supported by its friends by the artists that perform on the Aubertin organ in the Auditoire Calvin, your presence and retiring collections at the festival concerts, donor contributions, and by your AOA membership, the modest fee of 30SF.
Your membership fees and donations support the AOA Festival operating costs and the maintenance of the organ.
Become a Member
AOA Membership will assure that you receive advanced information about upcoming events. The committee plans to organize some special events specifically for members. On October 12, 2019, for instance, a guided visit by the organist titular and carilloner Vincent Thévenaz has been organised to the carillon of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral. View an article describing the visit above.
To become an AOA Member please contact our Membership Secretary, Janis Schlatter through the e-mail address:
The annual membership fee is SFr 30 - payable directly into the AOA account:
Bank relationship: Postfinance
Amis de l'Orgue de l'Auditoire de Calvin (A.O.A.)
IBAN: CH71 0900 0000 1404 8532 6
Thank you for your support!
A visit to the carillon of the cathédral de Saint-Pierre
October 12, 2019 : (click image to listen)
On a beautiful Saturday morning at the door of St. Peter's Cathedral, a small group greeted the arrival of Organist and Carilloner, Vincent Thévenaz with great anticipation. The visit, M. Thévenaz proposed, did not disappoint us. Entering a small side door we climbed and climbed up into the "forest" of St. Pierre's north tower. Huge oaken beams and rafters were everywhere. Stopping now and then as M. Thévenaz gave us time to enjoy the splendid views from the tower and to tell us snippets of the history behind St.Peter's Cathedral, organs in Geneva and the various Carillons in Switzerland and Europe, we finally reached the carillon. The carillon looked much like a small harpsichord with the exception that all its keys were attached to an intricate maze of wires above. Then, much to our delight, he played the carillon; but the visit did not end there. We climbed higher to see some of the 37 bells; among the largest: "La Cloche de l'Heure", "La Clémence" et "La Belle Rive.”
Many thanks to M. Thévenaz for this unforgettable visit.
Images: Claudia Martin, Linda Revkin, Peter Tulloch
