Mr Orly Watson will give an organ recital on Sunday 20 November 2016 at 4.15pm in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. Orly, who has participated in previous recital series, will return to play the third recital in the current series which is in memory of Mr Theo Saunders, the former Director of Music.
Orly read Music at Somerville College, Oxford, before training as a pianist at the Royal Academy of Music in London. His teachers have included the distinguished pianist Michael Dussek, composer Simon Mawhinney, and the organists Theo Saunders and George Minne. He spent three years as a member of the Choir of Somerville College, Oxford, with whom he made a professional recording for Stone Records and travelled to the USA for a concert tour. Whilst still at school, Orly was a member of the Choir of Armagh Cathedral, with whom he performed for the Queen and the President of Ireland. He has given many solo piano and organ recitals around England and Northern Ireland, has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Orchestra of Trinity College, Oxford, and is much in demand as an accompanist and private teacher.
Speaking of his forthcoming recital programme, Orly said, “This recital will feature several popular favourites including the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach, and César Franck’s Pastorale, Op. 19. It will also include a rarely heard major work, the Fantaisie No. 3, Op. 157 by Saint-Saëns. Written near the end of his life, this contains some of his most progressive music but has been inexplicably overlooked.”
The Very Revd Gregory Dunstan, Dean of Armagh, said, “It will be a great pleasure to welcome Orly back to the Cathedral, and to the organ that he knows so well. Since his last recital here, Orly has been appointed organist of Dromore Cathedral. We look forward to his programme.”
As with all the recitals in this series, admission is free. The retiring collection will go towards the cost of a new piano for the Cathedral Choir’s rehearsal room.