Organist visits after internet encounter (From Malvern Gazette)

Organist visits after internet encounter

11:47am Monday 3rd December 2007 in Music

A CHANCE internet search has resulted in a recital on West Malvern's newly refurbished organ by Norwegian prize-winning young organist Jarle Fagerheim.

Back in March this year, Jarle, a council member of the Norwegian Greens, did a Google search on the words green' and organist, and found the name of John Raine, St James's' church organist and Green Party district councillor.

Mr Raine said: "Email correspondence ensued, with Jarle being very interested in our project at West Malvern to overhaul and enhance the church organ. He willingly accepted an invitation to visit Malvern, to address our local green party and to give a recital at St James's once the refurbishment work was completed."

Jarle, who played his first recital in Stavanger Cathedral at the age of just fifteen, won prizes in competitions for young organists in both Norway and the UK last year.

His recital in St James's, West Malvern, has a strong Nordic flavour to it, including Norwegian dances by Edvard Grieg and pieces by two contemporary Norwegian composers, Takle and Dahl, in addition to works by J S Bach and Brahms, and Parisian organist Louis Lefebure-Wely. The concert is on Saturday, December 8, at 7.30pm.