Vancouver organists present an eclectic programme on St James’ majestic three-manual Casavant organ. This annual event is a great opportunity to hear and meet Vancouver organists as their performance bring to life the rich pallete of sound of the historic pipe organ.
Admission is by donation, and the event is followed by a reception. Please confirm your attendance for planning purposes.
Angelique Po has given recitals on organ, piano and harpsichord. She is a frequent collaborator with soloists and choirs such as the Vancouver Bach Choir, Vancouver Oratorio Singers, Vivaldi Chamber Choir, Phoenix Chamber Choir, and the Church Music Ministry of Canada. She has performed two concerts of new music for Vancouver Pro Musica, one on organ with trombonist Jeremy Berkman, and one of all solo organ music. She has served in organ appointments at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Central Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church in Vancouver. She is currently Interim Music Director and Organist at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.
Born in The Netherlands, Aart Bijkerk pursued his musical training at an early age, studying with renowned organists such as Frans van Tilburg and Herman van Vliet. Aart has specialised in the works of the French romantic composers such as Dupré, Guilmant, Vierne, and Widor. In 1998 he played the complete 8th symphony from Charles-Marie Widor during the Widor Festival in the St Joriskerk (Saint George's Church) in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. A frequent participant in organ competitions on the historic eighteenth-century organ in the Grote Kerk of Maassluis, Aart was twice awarded first prize. He has served as organist for a number of churches in The Netherlands, and since immigrating to Canada he is connected with the Canadian Reformed Church in Yarrow, and frequently is a guest organist at the Abbotsford and Chilliwack Churches.
Cindy Ma, grew up in mainland China, from a family passionate in classical music. She went to the States for graduate school in engineering before coming to Canada. In Vancouver, she's been taking organ lessons, playing in member recitals, and going to concerts. She currently works in a financial institution as a senior software developer and she owns a cat with amazing energy, who constantly improvises on the piano.
Gerald Harder undertook initial organ study with Richard Unfreid at Biola University in Los Angeles, and graduate study in organ performance and choral conducting at the University of Western Ontario in London. Gerald holds the Associate Diploma of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. He has served churches in Los Angeles, Ottawa, Victoria, and Vancouver as organist and music director. Since 2000 he has been Organist & Choirmaster at St James' Anglican Church, Vancouver, where he directs a comprehensive program of liturgical music. Gerald sings bass with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, and is active locally as an accompanist.
Vancouverite Isaac Howie has always loved making music. A student of piano and composition since early childhood, his musical career has included founding a jazz trio, composing and performing for concert bands, publishing electronic music, and winning awards for solo piano. He entered the University of British Columbia at 15, where he currently studies organ under the mentorship of Professor Michael Dirk. Alongside his pursuit of a BMus, Isaac is Organist at Holy Family Parish, and he holds an ARCT in piano and studies harpsichord with Alex Weimann. In 2021, Isaac was division winner of the Vancouver Chamber Choir's Young Composers' Competition. Last year, he was invited to the semifinals of the RCCO National Organ Competition. In his spare time, Isaac enjoys building computers and translating Ancient Greek texts.
A scientist by day, Koos van Nieuwkoop spends his spare time playing and studying music. He studied piano with Herta Stoffels and completed his Associate Diploma ( ARCT ) in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2008. Koos studied classical organ with Rachel Alflatt, and served as a church organist for 15 years. Away from the keyboard, he develops software that enables organists to design and perform on their own custom virtual pipe organ. Over the past 10 years, Koos has spent countless hours exploring the endless possibilities of the theatre organ and is excited to share what he has learned through the voice of Vancouver’s very own Mighty Wurlitzer in the Orpheum.
In 1938 Casavant Frères of St Hyacinthe, Québec, was awarded the contract for a new 3-manual organ of 1760 pipes. The organ itself was located in the north transept of the church, formerly the choir gallery, which was lowered to make room for the instrument, with a façade designed by Adrian Gilbert Scott — the same architect who designed St James’ Church building. Over the years some minor changes were made to meet the musical demands of a living church, including a new Choir division with three ranks in the west gallery in 1948, and a new organ console in 2003. With the addition of the Choir division, the organ now has 33 ranks, and just under 2000 pipes. The main organ is located high on the north gallery of the church – an excellent location, as grand sound of this fine Casavant Frères organ is marvellously enhanced by the church's outstanding acoustics.