Ian Watson, Arcadia Players’ Artistic Director, returns to the Richards, Fowkes, organ at First Church of Deerfield, the “Brick Church Meetinghouse,” for his third annual organ recital. He will present music of Bach and of other Baroque composers including Girolamo Frescobaldi, Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Jakob Froberger.

Ian Watson has been the leading keyboard player with most of the major English ensembles. He was appointed organist at St. Margaret’s, Westminster Abbey, at the age of 19, a position he held for ten years. His other prestigious positions in London have included those of Organist of St. Marylebone Parish Church and Music Director of the historic Christopher Wren Church, St. James’s Piccadilly. Now based in western Massachusetts, he is Director of Music at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Worcester, Founder and Director of the St. Paul’s Music Festival, and Artistic Director of Arcadia Players.

On John Eliot Gardiner’s international Bach Cantata Pilgrimage Watson served as organist and as assistant conductor. Reviewing recent CD releases from that millennial undertaking, Dominic McHugh writes about Cantata 35, “It is an utter triumph. The sinfonia has a prominent organ obbligato part, which is played with virtuosic panache by Ian Watson.” (www.musicalcriticism.com) Reviewer John Quinn writes of the same cantata, “The organ, superbly played by Ian Watson, dances delightfully in the opening sinfonia. . . . Both [countertenor Robin] Tyson and Watson display delightful agility ... Tyson, Watson and Gardiner emerge with great credit from this performance.” (www.musicweb-international.com) 

Public Television for Western New England  is the sponsor of Arcadia Players’ 2007–2008 season.

Ian Watson, organist