Weir made her début at the Royal Albert Hall while still a student, as soloist in the Poulenc Organ Concerto, on the opening night of the 1965 season of the Promenade Concerts, and in the same year at the Royal Festival Hall in recital, then the youngest organist to have performed there publicly. She returned to the Albert Hall to make the first recording on the great organ after the 2004 rebuild.[2]
In 1967, she married Clive Rowland Webster. The marriage was dissolved in 1972. In 1972, she married Lawrence Irving Phelps, an American organ builder.[1]
MessiaenEdit
Her performance in 1964 of a work by Olivier Messiaen occurred at a time when his music was little-known outside France and she became particularly associated with this composer; she has several times performed his complete works in series. Her recording for Collins Classics (new re-release for Priory Records on 2002) was hailed as "one of the major recording triumphs of the century" in In Tune Magazine. Her distinguished position as a Messiaen interpreter has been reinforced by her CD release of his complete organ works to great acclaim as well as by her contribution to Faber's The Messiaen Companion and other publications. At Messiaen's request, she gave the first UK performance in January 1973 of the Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité at the Royal Festival Hall from a facsimile of the composer's manuscript, given to her after he gave the world premiere in Washington D.C.[3][4]
Her series of six weekly recitals in Westminster Cathedral of Messiaen's organ works in 1998, the 90th anniversary of his birth, brought huge audiences, and for her performances she was awarded the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Solo Performance, the first organist to have been so honoured.[citation needed]
RecordingsEdit
Weir's artistry was marked in 1999 by the re-issue on CD of her series of Argo recordings, and her nomination by Classic CD magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Players of the Century, and by The Sunday Times as one of the 1000 Music Makers of the Millennium. In December 2000, ITV's South Bank Show chronicled her worldwide activities as performer, teacher and recording artist.[citation needed]
TelevisionEdit
Weir performed in her own six-part television series King of Instruments for the BBC in 1989;[1] it drew large audiences in Great Britain.
2011: Awarded Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon Award
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdLambert, Max (1991). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 (12th ed.). Auckland: Octopus. p. 679. ISBN9780790001302. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
^Nickol, Christopher (July 2005). "Gillian Weir plays the Grand Organ of the Royal Albert Hall". Gramophone.
^Gill, Dominic (October 1972). "Music in London: South Bank Summer Music". The Musical Times. 113 (1556): 988.
^Dingle, Christopher (May 1988). "Classical Music: An Instrument for Messiaenic Devotion. The celebrated organist, Dame Gillian Weir, is at the heart of a life-affirming festival of the works of Messiaen". Independent.
^"No. 54256". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 30 December 1995. p. 33.
External linksEdit
Gillian Weir's website
Weir biography at Bach Cantatas website
Dame Gillian Weir entry in encyclopedia.com
August 25, 2023
gillian, weir, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, . This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Gillian Weir news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Dame Gillian Constance Weir DBE FRCM born 17 January 1941 is a New Zealand British organist DameGillian WeirDBE FRCMBornGillian Constance Weir 1941 01 17 17 January 1941 age 82 Martinborough New ZealandEducationWhanganui Girls CollegeAlma materRoyal College of Music LondonOccupationOrganistOrganisationPatron of the New Zealand Organ AssociationSpousesClive Webster m 1967 div 1972 wbr Lawrence Phelps m 1972 wbr ParentsCecil Alexander Weir Clarice Mildred FoyAwardsSt Albans International Organ Festival 1964 Contents 1 Biography 2 Messiaen 3 Recordings 4 Television 5 Honours and awards 6 References 7 External linksBiography EditWeir was born in Martinborough New Zealand on 17 January 1941 1 Her parents were Clarice Mildred Foy nee Bignell and Cecil Alexander Weir She received her schooling at Queen s Park School Wanganui Intermediate and Wanganui Girls College 1 When she was 19 she was a co winner of the Auckland Star Piano Competition playing Mozart A year later she won a scholarship of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London There she studied with the concert pianist Cyril Smith and the renowned organist Ralph Downes and in her second year 1964 won the prestigious St Albans International Organ Competition Weir made her debut at the Royal Albert Hall while still a student as soloist in the Poulenc Organ Concerto on the opening night of the 1965 season of the Promenade Concerts and in the same year at the Royal Festival Hall in recital then the youngest organist to have performed there publicly She returned to the Albert Hall to make the first recording on the great organ after the 2004 rebuild 2 In 1967 she married Clive Rowland Webster The marriage was dissolved in 1972 In 1972 she married Lawrence Irving Phelps an American organ builder 1 Messiaen EditHer performance in 1964 of a work by Olivier Messiaen occurred at a time when his music was little known outside France and she became particularly associated with this composer she has several times performed his complete works in series Her recording for Collins Classics new re release for Priory Records on 2002 was hailed as one of the major recording triumphs of the century in In Tune Magazine Her distinguished position as a Messiaen interpreter has been reinforced by her CD release of his complete organ works to great acclaim as well as by her contribution to Faber s The Messiaen Companion and other publications At Messiaen s request she gave the first UK performance in January 1973 of the Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite at the Royal Festival Hall from a facsimile of the composer s manuscript given to her after he gave the world premiere in Washington D C 3 4 Her series of six weekly recitals in Westminster Cathedral of Messiaen s organ works in 1998 the 90th anniversary of his birth brought huge audiences and for her performances she was awarded the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Solo Performance the first organist to have been so honoured citation needed Recordings EditWeir s artistry was marked in 1999 by the re issue on CD of her series of Argo recordings and her nomination by Classic CD magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Players of the Century and by The Sunday Times as one of the 1000 Music Makers of the Millennium In December 2000 ITV s South Bank Show chronicled her worldwide activities as performer teacher and recording artist citation needed Television EditWeir performed in her own six part television series King of Instruments for the BBC in 1989 1 it drew large audiences in Great Britain Honours and awards Edit1975 Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Organists London Hon FRCO 1977 First woman elected to the Council of the Royal College of Organists 1981 International Performer of the Year elected by the American Guild of Organists New York City 1981 83 First woman President of the Incorporated Association of Organists 1982 Elected Musician of the Year by the International Music Guide 1982 Elected Honorary Member of the International Music Sorority Sigma Alpha Iota 1983 Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists Hon FRCCO 1983 Awarded honorary Doctor of Music from the University of Victoria Wellington New Zealand Hon D Mus 1985 First musician to receive the Turnovsky Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts 1989 Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE in the 1989 Queen s Birthday Honours for services to music 5 1989 Elected Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music London Hon RAM 1992 93 President of the Incorporated Society of Musicians England 1993 Trustee of the Eric Thompson Charitable Trust for Organists and Organ Music 1994 96 First woman president of the Royal College of Organists England 1996 Promoted Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE in the 1996 New Year Honours for services to music 6 1997 98 Visiting professor of the Royal Academy of Music London 1997 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Huddersfield Hon D Litt 1998 Awarded Silver Medal by the Albert Schweitzer Association Sweden 1998 present President of the Soloist s Ensemble 1998 Patron of the Oundle International Festival 1999 Appointed the Prince Consort Professor in Organ Royal College of Music London 1999 March 1999 Winner of the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Solo Performance in 1998 1999 July 1999 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Hull Hon D Mus 1999 Patron of Friends of Young Artists Platform 1999 present Patron of the Cirencester Early Music Festival 2000 November 2000 Elected Fellow of the Royal College of Music London FRCM 2000 December 2000 Subject of television documentary profile by the South Bank Show ITV 2001 February 2001 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Exeter Hon D Mus 2001 Awarded honorary doctorate by Birmingham City University Hon Doctor of the university 2003 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Leicester Hon D Mus 2004 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of Aberdeen Hon D Mus 2006 Elected Member of the Senior Common Room at the University College and St Chad s College Durham University 2009 Elected Member of the Senior Common Room at the College of St Hild and St Bede Durham University 2009 Awarded honorary doctorate by the University of London Hon D Mus 2011 Awarded Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon AwardReferences Edit a b c d Lambert Max 1991 Who s Who in New Zealand 1991 12th ed Auckland Octopus p 679 ISBN 9780790001302 Retrieved 29 July 2015 Nickol Christopher July 2005 Gillian Weir plays the Grand Organ of the Royal Albert Hall Gramophone Gill Dominic October 1972 Music in London South Bank Summer Music The Musical Times 113 1556 988 Dingle Christopher May 1988 Classical Music An Instrument for Messiaenic Devotion The celebrated organist Dame Gillian Weir is at the heart of a life affirming festival of the works of Messiaen Independent No 51774 The London Gazette 3rd supplement 17 June 1989 p 32 No 54256 The London Gazette 2nd supplement 30 December 1995 p 33 External links EditGillian Weir s website Rayfield Artists biography Weir biography at Bach Cantatas website Dame Gillian Weir entry in encyclopedia com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gillian Weir amp oldid 1167312555, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
