Welcome to the Southwark Cathedral Summer Organ Festival 2025 with four outstanding organists performing four recitals over four weeks throughout August celebrating the joy of organ music.
Join us on Monday 25 August for our fourth and final recital of the festival with international concert organist Isabelle Demers.
Itinerary
6.00pm: Doors open with pre-concert drinks available to purchase
6.30pm: Pre-concert conversation between Isabelle Demers and Katelyn Emerson
7.00pm: Concert begins
8.00pm: End
Programme
- Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) – Variations and Fugue on a theme by Handel, arr. Rachel Laurin (1961-2023)
- J.S.Bach (1685-1750)- O Mensch, bewein dein' Sünde groß BWV 622 arr. Max Reger (1873-1916)
- Max Reger (1873-1916) - Organ Sonata No. 2, Op. 60
- Improvisation. Allegro con brio (ma non troppo vivacissimo)
- Invocation
- Introduction und Fuge
Isabelle Demers
With playing described as having “bracing virtuosity” (Chicago Classical Review) and being “fearless and extraordinary” (Amarillo-Globe News), Isabelle Demers has enraptured critics, presenters, and audience members around the globe.
She has appeared in recital throughout Europe, Oman, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, including at the Cathedrals of Cologne and Regensburg (Germany); the ElbPhilharmonie (Hamburg); the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey (London); City Hall (Stockholm); the Royal Opera House of Muscat (Oman); the Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing, China); Victoria Hall (Singapore); Melbourne Town Hall (Australia); Auckland Town Hall (New Zealand); Disney Hall (Los Angeles), Davies Hall (San Francisco), the Meyerson Symphony Center (Dallas), the Kimmel Center, and the Wanamaker Organ at Macy’s (Philadelphia); and the Maison Symphonique (Montréal). She was recently a featured performer of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Dr. Demers is in continual high demand by her colleagues as witnessed by performances for numerous regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Institute of Organ Builders and International Society of Organbuilders, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and the Organ Historical Society. She has released multiple CD recordings on the Acis and Pro Organo labels. Her latest CD, recorded at Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel, was released in January 2020, and includes works of Reger, Laurin, Dupré, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Macmillan.
A native of Québec and a doctoral graduate of the Juilliard School, Dr. Demers was recently appointed Associate Professor of Organ at McGill University (Montréal, Québec). She was formerly the Joyce Bowden Chair in Organ and Head of the Organ Program at Baylor University (Waco, Texas).
Refreshments
There will be a bar serving alcohol and soft drinks on the evening. if you book a ticket that includes an alcoholic pre-concert drink please be aware you must be age 21+. You will be asked for ID if you are lucky enough to look younger and if you don't have ID you will not be served.
The income generated by ticket sales for this festival will help to maintain and develop our musical education and musical outreach.
