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Biography
…combining academic depth with dynamic flair and a rare and happy knack in selecting music that entertains as well as edifies"
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The short bio (2018)
“playing of the highest rank ... all that one could desire” (UK Organists' Review) |
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Updated in January, 2018, 266 words
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Martin Setchell, organist of Christchurch city New Zealand, is an international concert performer who believes in promoting entertaining organ music to a wide audience.
Born and educated in England where he was awarded his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists, he studied at various times with Pierre Cochereau, Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford. He is curator of the Rieger pipe organ in the Christchurch Town Hall for the Performing Arts (city organist), and University of Canterbury organist.
He regularly performs in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan. This year, 2018, he will perform concerts in Australia, Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland, as well as throughout New Zealand.
His CDs include A Taste of Shropshire, (Quantum) recorded at Ludlow Parish church in England, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series, and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music (Atoll) and Great Australasian Organs VII featuring the Rieger organ of Christchurch Town Hall (Priory 1031, UK). His most recent recording is Cardboard Cathedral Organ Capers recorded on the Rodgers Infinity organ of the Transitional Anglican Cathedral.
Martin is heard on BBC radio’s The Organist Entertains, the USA’s Pipe Dreams, and Radio New Zealand’s concert programme.
He has arranged Fauré, Bizet, and Sousa (published by Kevin Mayhew Music), and edited organ albums of music by Saint-Saëns, Purcell and Bach for Oxford University Press. In 2008 he was honoured by the City of Christchurch, receiving a Civic Award for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.
Website: www.organist.co.nz
Born and educated in England where he was awarded his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists, he studied at various times with Pierre Cochereau, Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford. He is curator of the Rieger pipe organ in the Christchurch Town Hall for the Performing Arts (city organist), and University of Canterbury organist.
He regularly performs in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan. This year, 2018, he will perform concerts in Australia, Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland, as well as throughout New Zealand.
His CDs include A Taste of Shropshire, (Quantum) recorded at Ludlow Parish church in England, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series, and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music (Atoll) and Great Australasian Organs VII featuring the Rieger organ of Christchurch Town Hall (Priory 1031, UK). His most recent recording is Cardboard Cathedral Organ Capers recorded on the Rodgers Infinity organ of the Transitional Anglican Cathedral.
Martin is heard on BBC radio’s The Organist Entertains, the USA’s Pipe Dreams, and Radio New Zealand’s concert programme.
He has arranged Fauré, Bizet, and Sousa (published by Kevin Mayhew Music), and edited organ albums of music by Saint-Saëns, Purcell and Bach for Oxford University Press. In 2008 he was honoured by the City of Christchurch, receiving a Civic Award for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.
Website: www.organist.co.nz
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The longer version |
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Updated January 2018, 590 words
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Martin Setchell is an international concert organist who believes in promoting entertaining music to a wide audience. From China to Canada, Scotland to Australia, England to Singapore, and New Zealand to Germany, he has delighted audiences the world over with his spirited playing, lively personality and entertaining repertoire.
Some organists play mainly for other organists; Martin programmes and plays for a wider audience of music lovers who want more than just another organ recital. His engaging organ concerts appeal to all ages and are often spiced with characteristic touches of English humour. Who says that organ music can't be fun? Far from ignoring his audience from the isolation of the loft, he takes them with him to the console.
Born in the North of England town of Blackpool, Martin holds Honours degrees in both French and Music from the University of Exeter, and was awarded both the Limpus and Shinn prizes when he received his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists in London. Subsequently he undertook advanced studies in Classical organ technique with Pierre Cochereau (then titular organist of Notre Dame in Paris), Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford.
Martin emigrated to New Zealand in 1974 on his appointment to the University of Canterbury School of Music. He maintains a busy schedule of recitals and concerts as soloist, accompanist and continuo player on organ and harpsichord. Since 1997, when he was appointed curator of the Rieger pipe organ in the Christchurch Town Hall, he has principally devoted himself to promoting the organ as a concert instrument internationally.
His solo concert tours outside New Zealand regularly take him to Australia, America, Europe and the Far East. Some concert highlights include the Spreckels organ in Balboa Park, San Diego, the Mormon Tabernacle Organ in Salt Lake City, the famous Hill organ in Sydney Town Hall, Australia, Oliwa Cathedral in Poland as part of the Gdansk International Organ Festival, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai, China, the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore, Musashino Civic Cultural Hall in Tokyo, Japan, Birmingham Town Hall, St Paul's Cathedral, London, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland, the historic Gabler organ in Weingarten Abbey, and Regensburg Cathedral.
2018 concert tours include Australia, Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland, as well as throughout New Zealand.
His CDs include A Taste of Shropshire, (Quantum) recorded at Ludlow Parish church in England, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music (Atoll) and Great Australasian Organs VII featuring the Rieger organ of Christchurch Town Hall (Priory 1031, UK).
His most recent recording is Cardboard Cathedral Organ Capers recorded on the Rodgers Infinity organ of the Transitional Anglican Cathedral.
As a composer, Martin Setchell concentrates on writing tuneful and accessible organ and choral music. His Wedding March extraordinaire is recently published by Butz MusikVerlag in Bonn. He is also known for his volumes of transcriptions for organ. Music by Fauré and Bizet and the Sousa marches are published by Kevin Mayhew Music and his arrangements of Saint-Saens, Purcell and Bach are published by OUP in their Oxford Organ Series.
Martin's other activities include conducting (especially choral works and chamber operas), and public speaking. He lives in Christchurch with his wife Jenny, and two Burmese cats.
In 2008 he was honoured by the City of Christchurch, receiving a Civic Award for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.
Some organists play mainly for other organists; Martin programmes and plays for a wider audience of music lovers who want more than just another organ recital. His engaging organ concerts appeal to all ages and are often spiced with characteristic touches of English humour. Who says that organ music can't be fun? Far from ignoring his audience from the isolation of the loft, he takes them with him to the console.
Born in the North of England town of Blackpool, Martin holds Honours degrees in both French and Music from the University of Exeter, and was awarded both the Limpus and Shinn prizes when he received his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists in London. Subsequently he undertook advanced studies in Classical organ technique with Pierre Cochereau (then titular organist of Notre Dame in Paris), Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford.
Martin emigrated to New Zealand in 1974 on his appointment to the University of Canterbury School of Music. He maintains a busy schedule of recitals and concerts as soloist, accompanist and continuo player on organ and harpsichord. Since 1997, when he was appointed curator of the Rieger pipe organ in the Christchurch Town Hall, he has principally devoted himself to promoting the organ as a concert instrument internationally.
His solo concert tours outside New Zealand regularly take him to Australia, America, Europe and the Far East. Some concert highlights include the Spreckels organ in Balboa Park, San Diego, the Mormon Tabernacle Organ in Salt Lake City, the famous Hill organ in Sydney Town Hall, Australia, Oliwa Cathedral in Poland as part of the Gdansk International Organ Festival, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai, China, the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore, Musashino Civic Cultural Hall in Tokyo, Japan, Birmingham Town Hall, St Paul's Cathedral, London, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland, the historic Gabler organ in Weingarten Abbey, and Regensburg Cathedral.
2018 concert tours include Australia, Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland, as well as throughout New Zealand.
His CDs include A Taste of Shropshire, (Quantum) recorded at Ludlow Parish church in England, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music (Atoll) and Great Australasian Organs VII featuring the Rieger organ of Christchurch Town Hall (Priory 1031, UK).
His most recent recording is Cardboard Cathedral Organ Capers recorded on the Rodgers Infinity organ of the Transitional Anglican Cathedral.
As a composer, Martin Setchell concentrates on writing tuneful and accessible organ and choral music. His Wedding March extraordinaire is recently published by Butz MusikVerlag in Bonn. He is also known for his volumes of transcriptions for organ. Music by Fauré and Bizet and the Sousa marches are published by Kevin Mayhew Music and his arrangements of Saint-Saens, Purcell and Bach are published by OUP in their Oxford Organ Series.
Martin's other activities include conducting (especially choral works and chamber operas), and public speaking. He lives in Christchurch with his wife Jenny, and two Burmese cats.
In 2008 he was honoured by the City of Christchurch, receiving a Civic Award for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.
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