Organists
Joseph Nolan
Organist and Master of the Choristers
Joseph Nolan is an internationally renowned organist, acclaimed for the sheer power, precision and musicality of his playing, and was appointed to Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace, United Kingdom in 2004. He broadcast with the choir on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM as well as playing at the Thanksgiving Service for Princess Diana at The Guards Chapel, broadcast on BBC Television.
Joseph also performed on numerous occasions at Buckingham Palace, most notably giving the inaugural recital of the refurbished Ballroom Organ to a distinguished invited audience. Joseph was the first ever organist to record a commercial CD of this instrument, in November 2006 for the Signum label. This CD was lauded by Gramophone Magazine, UK: ‘Nolan uses the organ to amazing effect...such an astute musician.’
This acclaim has led to Joseph being invited to record in some of the world’s premiere venues. These include St-Sulpice, Paris, St-Ouen, Rouen, Buckingham Palace, and most recently, he recorded the ten organ symphonies of Widor at La Madeleine, Paris in only seven nights. These discs have been lauded by media across the globe and been broadcast in part on BBC Radio 3, Radio France, and ABC Classic FM, amongst others.
Joseph’s latest disc from St-Sulpice, Paris for Signum Records has been particularly well received, winning the ‘Star Recording’ award from The Organ Magazine. It has also been described by Gramophone Magazine as a ‘brilliantly played recital’, Music Web International: ‘this disc should find a special place amongst organ collectors’, and American Record Guide: ‘the best Liszt Ad Nos on record.’ The disc was also awarded ‘Disc of the Week’ on Swedish national radio.
Joseph has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, North America, New Zealand, and Australia, including giving concerts in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, London, Melbourne and Auckland Town Halls, and for various US conventions including the Year of the Organ.
Joseph has also conducted and accompanied some of the world’s leading groups and musicians, including the King’s Singers at the Bad Homburg International Festival, as well as giving organ and trumpet concerts with trumpeters Crispian Steele-Perkins and Alison Balsom. Joseph also conducted the Hilliard Ensemble, St George’s Cathedral Consort and WASO players in a performance of Pärt’s Passio for the 2010 Perth International Arts Festival at Perth Concert Hall.
Joseph has recently returned from a tour of Germany which included giving a concert at the Stiftskirche, Landau, for the 20th International Orgelfestwochen Rheinland-Pfalz, a festival that attracts many of the world’s greatest organists.
Joseph makes his debut with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall in March 2012, playing the Poulenc Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony for the opening of the WASO Classics concerts.
Joseph took up the post of Organist and Master of the Choristers at St George’s Cathedral, Perth, Australia in March 2008 where he directs the now renowned Cathedral Choir and Consort and is Artistic Director of the Cathedral's Concert Series.
Stewart Smith
Assistant Organist
Stewart Smith has been the assistant organist at St George's Cathedral since late 2007, having previously been in this position from 2004-2007.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Music and at London University, graduating with first class honours and a master's degree, and winning many prizes and scholarships along the way.
In Australia, Stewart is in much demand as a soloist and accompanist, and has recently performed at international festivals in Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide, as well as regional festivals throughout the country.
As a harpsichordist and as an organist, he has broadcast many times with the ABC, and regularly plays with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) and early music groups in Western Australia and elsewhere.
Stewart is a senior lecturer and the coordinator of classical music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where - in addition to taking an active role in teaching and research - he has conducted a number of Baroque operas and has been the recipient of a number of important research grants.
Over the last few years, Stewart has made five CD recordings with the early-music group Ensemble Batistin for the ABC Classics label, featuring little-known music of the French Baroque.
Elijah Lim
The dr geoffrey gates AM Organ Scholar
Elijah Lim is a year 10 student at Guildford Grammar School and currently studies organ with the Organist and Master of the Choristers, Joseph Nolan. He is working towards his Grade 8 ABRSM organ examination.
| Organists | |
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1875 -???? |
C Trotter |
| Assistant Organists | |
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1971 |
Ian Hardy |
