SATURDAY, 7 MARCH 2026
CLOSING DATE: 31 JANUARY 2026
All Saints’ Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3ED
ORGAN SECTION INFORMATION
WILLIAM WHITEHEAD
BA, MMus, FRCO, ARAM
William Whitehead has gained a wide reputation for his engaging and inspiring interpretation of the organ repertoire. His concert career was given a boost when he won first prize at the Odense International Organ Competition in Denmark in 2004. Since then, he has travelled widely giving concerts in Europe and the US. Recent venues include The Royal Festival Hall, London (his debut at this venue), Westminster Cathedral, The Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms and Berlin Dom. A recorded artist on dozens of discs, he is most recently to be heard as organ soloist in Handel’s Op 7 No 1 Organ Concerto with the Gabrieli Consort and Players (Winged Lion label).
His work as a continuo player brings him together with groups such as the Gabrieli Consort, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Proms 2023). 2015's Proms saw him appear with the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Trained at Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, William Whitehead is now a sought after organ teacher, teaching many students at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Previously he has held appointments as Assistant Organist, Rochester Cathedral, and Director of Music at St Mary’s Bourne Street, and is now the Associate Organist of Lincoln’s Inn in London. He has been a professor at both the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music.
As curator of the Orgelbüchlein project, William Whitehead is seeing through a large-scale project to 'complete' Bach's unfinished manuscript collection. This international project has already garnered much interest and is fast becoming a cross-section of the most interesting composers at work today. More information is available at www.orgelbuechlein.co.uk. Volume 4 is available with Peters Edition and Volume 3 directly from The Orgelbüchlein Project website (UK orders) https://orgelbuechlein.co.uk/purchase-scores.
BA, MMus, FRCO, ARAM
William Whitehead has gained a wide reputation for his engaging and inspiring interpretation of the organ repertoire. His concert career was given a boost when he won first prize at the Odense International Organ Competition in Denmark in 2004. Since then, he has travelled widely giving concerts in Europe and the US. Recent venues include The Royal Festival Hall, London (his debut at this venue), Westminster Cathedral, The Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms and Berlin Dom. A recorded artist on dozens of discs, he is most recently to be heard as organ soloist in Handel’s Op 7 No 1 Organ Concerto with the Gabrieli Consort and Players (Winged Lion label).
His work as a continuo player brings him together with groups such as the Gabrieli Consort, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Proms 2023). 2015's Proms saw him appear with the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Trained at Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, William Whitehead is now a sought after organ teacher, teaching many students at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Previously he has held appointments as Assistant Organist, Rochester Cathedral, and Director of Music at St Mary’s Bourne Street, and is now the Associate Organist of Lincoln’s Inn in London. He has been a professor at both the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music.
As curator of the Orgelbüchlein project, William Whitehead is seeing through a large-scale project to 'complete' Bach's unfinished manuscript collection. This international project has already garnered much interest and is fast becoming a cross-section of the most interesting composers at work today. More information is available at www.orgelbuechlein.co.uk. Volume 4 is available with Peters Edition and Volume 3 directly from The Orgelbüchlein Project website (UK orders) https://orgelbuechlein.co.uk/purchase-scores.
- Teachers, parents and performers are advised to read the Festival Rules and the following Organ Rules carefully.
- Age for classes to be reckoned as of 1 March of the Festival Year.
- A copy of music should be available for the Adjudicator before performing. This must be neatly presented and of good quality. This is not necessary for the Masterclass. See Festival Rule 14.
- Time limits must be strictly adhered to. See Festival Rule 7.
JONATHAN PRICE
Field House
Lye Hole Lane
Redhill
Bristol
BS40 5TB
[t] 01934 906878
[e] organ@bristolfestival.co.uk
Field House
Lye Hole Lane
Redhill
Bristol
BS40 5TB
[t] 01934 906878
[e] organ@bristolfestival.co.uk
Bristol Festival Syllabus 2026
The Organ at All Saints’ Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3ED