2003


		Wednesday July 24 to Monday July 28, 2003 - Stratford, Ontario, Canada 2003 was a banner year for the Organ Concerts and Academy at Stratford Summer Music, as Stratford Summer Music had chosen for its theme Johann Sebastian Bach and one of his most famous interpreters of the twentieth century, Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. Fifty years earlier, the ingenious and eccentric Gould had begun a fruitful period as director of musical programming for the fledgling Stratford Shakespearean Festival, and in observance of this anniversary the programming featuring Academy Director Christopher Dawes and Academy Master Teacher Ullrich Böhme, which is listed below, revolved around this theme. For full information, 2003 Organ Concerts and Academy Brochure (330K pdf) 2003 Organ Concerts and Academy Week Program Book (235K pdf) Thu 24 and Sat 26 July, 9:30am GOULD MEETS BACH: “Two Musics in Mind” created and performed by Christopher Dawes and Peter Tiefenbach Fri 25 July, 9:30am J.S. BACH: THE ART OF THE FUGUE Christopher Dawes, organ and piano Sun 27 July, 2pm 2003 ACADEMY FINAL CONCERT Mon 28 July, 2pm J.S. BACH MEMORIAL CONCERT Ullrich Böhme, organ

	Ullrich Böhme was born in 1956 in the Vogtland area of Saxony. He assumed the position of organist in his home town of Rothenkirchen at the age of 13. From that time on he retained his fascination with the "King of Instruments." He studied with Hans Otto at the Dresden Church Music Academy and then at the Leipzig Conservatory with Wolfgang Schetelich. He then assumed the position of Cantor and Organist at the Church of the Holy Cross (Kreuzkirche) in Chemnitz. In the Bach anniversary year 1985 (300 years after Bach's birth) Ullrich Böhme was chosen from among many applicants for the position of Organist at Leipzig's famous St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche), the church where Johann Sebastian Bach worked for the final 27 years of his life. Since that time Böhme's principal responsibilities have included solo organ work at the services of St. Thomas Church, concerts, and performances at the regular Motetten (evening choral services) with the venerable boy choir at St Thomas Church (Thomanerchor), as well as playing continuo for cantatas, oratorios, and passions. In addition he has made regular concert tours to many European countries, to North America, and to Japan. He has made numerous recordings on compact disk, and for radio and television productions, both in Germany and abroad. He has been invited to serve on the juries of significant international organ competitions and in 1989 received the Critics' Prize of the Cultural Journalists of Leipzig. Ullrich Böhme provided the impetus for the restoration of the large Romantic organ by Wilhelm Sauer at St. Thomas Church. He then developed the concept of a new Bach Organ. for St. Thomas Church, replacing a modern neo- Baroque organ in a side gallery of the church. This new instrument was dedicated in June 2000. Installation of this organ coincided with the worldwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. The focal point of the global celebration was the official "Bach 2000" festival held in Leipzig in July. Bach 2000 celebrated the completion of the restoration of St. Thomas Church (interior, exterior, and stained glass windows), and comprised ten days of concerts by distinguished musicians from around the world, lectures on Bach related topics, excursions to hear historic organs from Bach's day, and chamber concerts at historical sites in the area. Ullrich Böhme is active as advisor to organ restoration projects such as that of the superb Hildebrandt organ of St. Wenceslas Church in Naumburg. A professor since 1994 at the Leipzig Conservatory of Music and Drama, he teaches masterclasses in interpretation in Germany and abroad. 2003 ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS - download 2003 Academy Final Concert Program (178K pdf) Ling-Kong Chan Shin-Ae Chun Brent Fifield Christopher Ku Gregg Redner