Past Event: A Progressive Organ Recital with Martin Jean and James O’Donnell | Yale Organ Week 2023

Location: Battell Chapel
400 College Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Woolsey Hall
500 College Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Open to: General Public

Admission: Free

Description: All are welcome to join a progressive organ recital with Yale organ faculty, Professors Martin Jean and James O’Donnell. The recital will begin in Battell Chapel (400 College, but enter through door on Elm Street) at 7:30 p.m. and then progress on to Dwight Chapel (67 High) at 8:10 p.m. and Woolsey Hall (500 College) at 8:50 p.m. This is a unique opportunity to hear three of Yale’s organs played by two world renowned organists.

Martin Jean is professor of organ at Yale and director of the Institute of Sacred Music. He has performed widely throughout the United States and Europe and is known for his broad repertorial interests. He was awarded first place at the international Grand Prix de Chartres in 1986, and in 1992 at the National Young Artists’ Competition in Organ Performance. A student of Robert Glasgow, in the fall of 1999 he spent a sabbatical with Harald Vogel in North Germany. He has performed on four continents and in nearly all fifty states. In 2001 he presented a cycle of the complete organ works of Bach at Yale, and his compact discs of The Seven Last Words of Christ by Charles Tournemire and the complete Six Symphonies of Louis Vierne, both recorded in Woolsey Hall, have been released by Loft Recordings. Recordings of the organ symphonies and Stations of the Cross of Marcel Dupré are forthcoming on the Delos label. Professor Jean is on the board of directors of the Lutheran Music Program.

James O’Donnell is professor in the practice of organ and sacred music at the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. For the last 23 years, he was the organist and master of the choristers at Westminster Abbey. There he led the Abbey’s music department and oversaw all musical aspects of its work, including directing the celebrated choir of Westminster Abbey. He was also responsible for the music at royal, state and national occasions, including the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on 29th April 2011, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on 9th April 2002. Most recently, he led the music for the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Internationally recognized as a conductor and organ recitalist, James O’Donnell has performed all over the world, including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. As soloist and director he has worked with many of Britain’s leading ensembles. He is Music Director of St James’ Baroque and appears regularly with the BBC Singers. He is visiting professor of organ and of choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music and was president of the Royal College of Organists from 2011–13. He is an honorary fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge and Doctor of Music honoris causa of the University of Aberdeen.

Before taking up his appointment at Westminster Abbey in January 2000, O’ Donnell was a junior exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music and then organ scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge. His first professional appointments were at Westminster Cathedral, where he was for five years assistant and subsequently, for twelve years, master of music. Under his direction the Choir of Westminster Cathedral won the Gramophone Record of the Year award for its Hyperion disc of masses by Frank Martin and Pizzetti and a Royal Philharmonic Society award, both unprecedented for a cathedral choir.