Christopher Wrench

Great Hall, University of Sydney

Sunday 20 September 2009, 3.30pm

Prelude & Fugue in D, BWV 532                                                                                              Johann Sebastian Bach              

                                                                                                                                                                                     1685-1759

Sonata I in Eb, BWV 525                                                                                                                                                        

       [Tempo ordinario]                                                                                                                                                             

       Adagio

       Allegro

Theme with Variations in D (1844)                                                                                                 Felix Mendelssohn

       Andante                                                                                                                                                              1809-1847

Sonata II in c, op.65/2                                                                                                                                                                            

       Grave - Adagio                                                                                                                                                                     

       Allegro maestoso e vivace                                                                                                                                                 

       FUGA  Allegro moderato

Roulade, op.9/3                                                                                                                                                Seth Bingham

                                                                                                                                                                                     1882-1972

Toccata                                                                                                                                                             Joseph Jongen

                                                                                                                                                                                     1873-1953

Australian organist CHRISTOPHER WRENCH is a graduate of the Queensland and Vienna Conservatoria and the Vienna University of Music where he studied with Prof Michael Radulescu.  International acclaim followed prize winning performances at major competitions in Odense, Denmark (1st Prize, 1992), St Albans, England (Audience Prize) and Dublin.

In addition to annual overseas tours which have included Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England (incl. Westminster Abbey, King’s College Cambridge), Germany, Hong Kong, Italy and Sweden; Christopher performs regularly throughout Australia, where he has appeared at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Melbourne Autumn Music Festival, the Sydney Festival, the Brisbane Festival, the New England Bach Festival, Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields, the Barraba Festival; and as soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra and the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra. 

A former jury member of international competitions in Odense and Calgary, Christopher Wrench performs a broad solo repertoire spanning many centuries whilst also enjoying work as a liturgical musician, teacher, chamber musician and Lieder accompanist.  Recent projects include the complete organ works of J.S.Bach and Maurice Duruflé and a CD of J.S.Bach’s Organ Sonatas on the historic Kastens/Lund organ in the Garrison Church, Copenhagen (released by Melba Recordings in August 2009).  His live and studio performances are broadcast regularly on ABC Classic FM and local MBS networks.

Wrench is currently Director of Music/Organist at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Kangaroo Point in Brisbane and part-time Lecturer in Organ at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.  In 2008 he received the Lord Mayor’s Australia Day Cultural Award for his outstanding contribution to music in Brisbane.

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