Members of the public came together in the University of Westminster’s Fyvie Hall on Friday 28 April to enjoy performances by students from the Royal Academy of Music as the first in a four-part free concert series.
The students from the Royal Academy of Music had prepared a recital incorporating both the University’s rare and recently refurbished 1934 Compton organ with a trombone. The performance lasted an hour and gave attendees the opportunity to enjoy music and refreshments in the heart of the University and to experience a moment of calm before the weekend.
Throughout the concert, the audience enjoyed solo performances by students Jeremy Ng and Jason Tang, and as an organ and trombone duo, Jason Tang performed alongside student trombonist Andrew Cowie.
Ng is a student of David Titterington at the Royal Academy of Music. He has given solo performances across different countries, including St. John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong; Neersheim Abbey, Germany; Notre Dame de France, London and more. He has also played in organ masterclasses led by renowned musicians Daniel Roth and Masaaki Suzuki. Ng now serves as Organist and Choirmaster for the Chinese congregation at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and organ scholar at St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge.
Tang is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree. Early on in his career, he has been awarded numerous prizes including the Sir Elton John Prize, Norman Askew Organ prize, and the Dorothy Cooper Organ Prize.
Tang previously played at Christ Church, Spitalfields, and is currently Organ Scholar at Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair, where he accompanies and occasionally directs the Chapel Choir for their weekly services. Recent recital engagements include Church of Notre Dame de France RC, London; Cathedral Basilica of St. Bavo, Haarlem; Korskirken, Bergen; St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Cowie is a third-year trombone student at the Royal Academy of Music. He began studying trombone at age ten with Dr Bill Clark. Cowie has done recordings for the BBC and Abbey Road studios and has played for various orchestras across the UK.
Recent performances include the London Handel Festival, Bach in Leipzig Cantata series, and the Royal Academy Jazz Orchestra. Last summer, Cowie toured as an instrumentalist with Girton College Cambridge Choir, performing in Germany and Austria including at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Salzburg and Passau Cathedral.
Professor Andrew Linn, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said about the event: “The University of Westminster was delighted to welcome these talented students from the Royal Academy to perform in Fyvie Hall, and we hope it will be the start of a valuable relationship between our two institutions. Following our celebration of the restoration of the organ, it is great to see now that music-making has quickly become a natural part of life at Westminster and that it is attracting such a large audience”.
Lynne Berry CBE, Chair of Governors and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Westminster, said: “It was a fantastic concert showcasing the organ – absolutely tremendous. And to have that combination of organ and trombone, it was amazing – really, really cool.”
This concert is one of four in the Westminster Community Concerts series, a programme of events which aims to reignite the University’s concert life and provide access to live music for all.
Find out more about the concerts and book your place at the next Westminster Community Concerts – Fyvie Hall event.
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