UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 19 SEPTEMBER 2016
Birmingham Conservatoire has announced acclaimed musician Daniel Moult as its Associate Head of Organ Studies, further strengthening the city’s position as a major centre for organ music performance.
Described by ‘The Organ’ as “one of the finest organists of our time”, Daniel will not only take up a teaching role in the Organ Department, but he will also play an important part in shaping the future direction of Organ Studies at the Conservatoire.
Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, is now preparing to move to its new £57 million home in the Eastside region of the City. Due to open in 2017, it will comprise five performance venues, including a 60-seater organ studio. £3 million will be spent on new instruments alone for this purpose-built organ space.
Born in Manchester, Daniel studied at the University of Oxford – where he gained the Fellowship diploma of the Royal College of Organists with three of the top playing prizes – and the Amsterdam Conservatorium.
On starting the role ahead of the new academic year commencing next week (Monday 19 September), Daniel said he was "absolutely delighted to have been appointed to this post".
“I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed to this post. Over the past 10 years, Henry Fairs, the Head of Organ Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire – and an internationally acclaimed performer and tutor – has built up the Organ Department to an amazing extent. It is now an extremely vibrant, popular and renowned place to study the organ in the UK.
“Under Henry's leadership and with an exciting move to new facilities in 2017, I am proud to be associated more fully with the Department. We all look forward to an even more thrilling future for Birmingham's organ art!"
Daniel broadcasts frequently on BBC television and radio, and has recorded for various record labels including Fugue State, Sony BMG and Radio Netherlands, and also comes to Birmingham Conservatoire with worldwide teaching experience.
Julian Lloyd Webber, Principal, Birmingham Conservatoire said:
“In recognition of the growing size and stature of our organ programme and to support us in the exciting developments to come, we made the decision to create a new, part-time post in the Organ Department at Birmingham Conservatoire. I am overjoyed that Daniel Moult will be fulfilling this role!
“Daniel is a first-rate and highly sought-after musician and teacher with an international reputation, and is renowned in the UK and abroad for virtuosic, intelligent and engaging performances of repertoire from the 14th to the 21st centuries.
“We are aiming to make Birmingham Conservatoire the premier UK centre for the study, research and performance of organ music. With a fabulous team of tutors, junior fellows, students, and now Daniel’s appointment, we are well on the way to making that vision a reality.”
Organ music plays a vital role in the life of the city of Birmingham, with regular profile recitals given by City Organist Thomas Trotter and guests on the Town Hall's historic instrument by William Hill and Symphony Hall's Klais organ. Birmingham is also home to the libraries of the Royal College of Organists and the British Institute of Organ Studies.