The competition will take place Monday 19 – Wednesday 21 August in the cathedral city of Armagh. The jury will be chaired by Martin Baker, Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral in London and President of the Royal College of Organists. He will be joined as guest adjudicator by New Zealand-born Katherine Dienes-Williams, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral, Surrey. David Hill, music director of the Bach Choir, London, principal conductor of the Schola Cantorum at Yale College, Connecticut, US and artistic director of the Charles Wood Summer School, Armagh, which runs concurrently with NIIOC, completes the jury.
The 2019 competition will see the second award of the Dame Gillian Weir Medal for the most outstanding performance of one work by a performer in the senior category of the competition. The medal will again use the design made in collaboration with Belfast College of Art by jewellery and silversmithing specialist Declan Coyle from Londonderry. The inaugural award was made in 2018 to Donal McCann from Belfast, currently organ scholar at King’s College, Cambridge.
NIIOC is for organists aged 21 and under. It offers substantial monetary prizes, prestigious recital opportunities and masterclasses with leading organists across the globe. Founded in 2011, from the outset it has attracted exceptionally gifted young players; early winners Ben Comeau, Ben Bloor, Richard Gowers and Andrew Forbes are already establishing successful careers. Last year’s competition was won by Johannes Krahl from Leipzig, Germany. The first winner from outside the British Isles was Mona Rozdestvenskyte from Russia in 2016.
The first NIIOC CD recording was launched in 2017. It features performances by the senior winners of the 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 competitions, playing the Walker organ of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh, which is used in the competition.
A partnership with the St Albans International Organ Competition was established in 2016, with the aim of creating both competitive and performance opportunities for organists aged under 21 (NIIOC) and under 33 (St Albans).
Richard Yarr, founder and artistic director of the competition, said: ‘We created the competition to discover talented young players and give them a platform to show everyone what they can do. Our competition continues to grow year on year as we attract top organists from across Europe and beyond. It has been a real privilege to see how past NIIOC winners have grown and developed their playing over the years.’
NIIOC is organised in three categories:
The Senior Category for Post-Grade 8 players takes place on Monday 19 August in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. Entrants must perform a balanced 20-minute programme, consisting of at least three pieces and including a major work of J S Bach. The first prize for 2019 consists of £1,500 plus promoted recitals at seven internationally-acclaimed venues, including St Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York; Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, London; and King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. They will also give a recital at a Royal College of Organists The Organ Scholar Experience event.
Entry is limited to 12 competitors, chosen on the basis of CD or MP3 recordings, which must be submitted with application forms.
The Intermediate Category for players of Grades 6-8 standard takes place on Tuesday 20 August in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. Applicants should not have gained an organ diploma. There is a free choice of repertoire for recitals which must consist of two or three pieces, lasting in total no more than 12 minutes.
This year will see the first award of The Dunleath Organ Scholarship Trust Prize, a £200 prize for the best overall performance by an Irish competitor in the Intermediate category.
The Junior Category for players of Grades 4-5 standard takes place on Tuesday 20 August in St Malachy’s Church, Armagh. Applicants must not have Grade 6 organ or above. There is a free choice of repertoire for recitals which must consist of two or three pieces, lasting in total no more than eight minutes.
No shortlisting recordings are required for the junior or intermediate categories.
The closing date for entries for all three categories is Friday 19 July 2019 at 6pm.
More information and downloadable application forms can be found on the competition website www.niioc.com or contact the competition organisers by email info@niioc.com.