Tuesday 20th May 12:00 PM
Adrian Gunning is organist at the celebrated Roman Catholic church of St John the Evangelist, Duncan Terrace, Islington, and the Anglo Catholic church of St Clement’s, King Square, London. He is Director of Music at St Martin’s Preparatory School Mill Hill, and combines his recital work with private teaching. While organist at St James’s Spanish Place in London he found a great deal of inspiration from the music of Tournemire, and has since become a leading interpreter in this country of his organ music. He made the first ever CD recording of Charles Tournemire (Libra LRCD 155) which met with outstanding critical acclaim: "Wonderful... Faultless... a unique musical experience" (The Gramophone). "Sensitive and atmospheric performances..." (Organists' Review). "One would welcome a second disc..." (Musical Times).
He has played extensively abroad including France, Australia, America, and The Netherlands, as well as participating at festivals in Southwark, The City of London, Brighton and Haarlem.
While at Trinity College of Music he won the Cardnell organ performance prize, and gained his Graduate and Fellowship diplomas. While studying at Goldsmiths' College University of London, he took further organ tuition with Nigel Allcoat, Nicolas Kynaston, Ewald Kooiman, and Naji Hakim. Adrian Gunning gave the British premiere performance of Hakim’s Fantasie Sur Adeste Fidelis in 1988, and the premiere recording of Mariales in 1993. He interviewed the composer for an article published in ‘The Organ Club Journal’ while he was President of The Organ Club from 1998-2001, and instigated a new CD recording to mark its 75th anniversary and founding by Henry Willis, and also a new organ commission by Nigel Allcoat part of which is heard this afternoon.
Adrian Gunning took up his position at St John’s, Islington in 1986 where the celebrated Walker organ is noted for its BBC broadcasts and CD recordings. He recorded there for the church's 150th anniversary. This CD, "L'Orgue Grégorien" (Herald-Libra HLRCD 1572) was very well received in the musical press. "A faithful interpreter... This is an excellent CD" (Choir & Organ). "The performances are so captivating..." (Sydney Organ Journal). "Gunning has an exact ear for French sonority... These are performances to savour..." (Organists' Review).
Adrian Gunning has recently spearheaded the restoration work on the Walker organ at St John’s Islington, which was reopened by Dame Gillian Weir 2006. In January 2007 the organ was awarded a BIOS Organ Certificate of National Importance, like that of The Union Chapel Willis organ.
Tickets: £7.00
Doors Open: 11.45am
