Bourgie Hall presents

A Musical Voyage with the Organ

Tribute to Rachel Laurin

Internationally renowned virtuoso organist Isabelle Demers, alongside some of her most highly accomplished students from the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, take us on a musical journey through works from the rich repertoire for organ, including several works by Rachel Laurin, to whom this concert pays tribute.

Artists
Isabelle Demers, organ

With playing described as having “bracing virtuosity” (Chicago Classical Review) and being “fearless and extraordinary” (Amarillo-Globe News), Isabelle Demers has enraptured critics, presenters, and audience members around the globe.

She has appeared in recital throughout Europe, Oman, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, including at the Cathedrals of Cologne and Regensburg (Germany); the ElbPhilharmonie
(Hamburg); the Royal Festival Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey (London); City Hall (Stockholm); the Royal Opera House of Muscat (Oman); the Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing, China); Victoria Hall (Singapore); Melbourne Town Hall (Australia); Auckland Town Hall (New Zealand); Disney Hall (Los Angeles), Davies Hall (San Francisco), the Meyerson Symphony Center (Dallas), the Kimmel Center, and the Wanamaker Organ at Macy’s (Philadelphia); and the Maison Symphonique (Montréal).

Dr. Demers is in continual high demand by her colleagues as witnessed by performances for numerous regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Institute of Organ Builders and International Society of Organbuilders, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and the Organ Historical Society. She has released multiple CD recordings on the Acis and Pro Organo labels. Her latest CD, recorded at Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel, was released in January 2020, and includes works of Reger, Laurin, Dupré, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Macmillan.

A native of Québec and a doctoral graduate of the Juilliard School, Dr. Demers is Associate Professor of Organ at McGill University (Montréal, Québec). She was formerly the Joyce Bowden Chair in Organ and Head of the Organ Program at Baylor University (Waco, Texas).

And students from Isabelle Demers’ organ class at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University: Maria Gajraj, Henry Webb and Qing Xu.

Program
J.S. BACH
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
Nun Danket alle Gott, BWV 657
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542
R. LAURIN
Excerpts from Douze Courtes Pièces, Vol. 4, Op. 68
Variations et Thème, Op. 111
Variations Sweelinck, Op. 96
R. DAVELUY Epilogue on “Nun Danket” and “Ballerma”
SWEELINCK Ballo del Granduca

Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 2:30pm
To purchase your tickets visit: www.mbam.qc.ca/en/bourgie-hall/