When Nicolas Kynaston heads to Christ Church in just under two weeks’ time, it will all be about reviving memories.

The memories are of his own recollections of teaching and playing in Oxford, and memories of former graduate student Dr Andrew Chamblin, a theoretical physicist whose promising career was cut short in February 2006 when he died suddenly, aged just 36.

Since then, friends and colleagues have been keeping his memory alive with a Memorial Concert Series that reflects his love of the organ and harpsichord, and his passion for baroque music.

This year’s recital by Nicolas Kynaston will feature music by some of Andrew’s favourite composers, including Bach’s Fantasy and Fugue in C Minor, Mozart’s Fantasy in F Minor and some Mendelssohn.

Happily, Nicolas’s own musical tastes are very similar to Andrew’s. “Every organist adores Bach — Bach is God!” he laughs. “But Mozart and Mendelssohn I also adore.”

Nicolas grew up in Devon in a musical family, so it was perhaps inevitable that he would play an instrument from an early age. “I played the piano from the age of six, I think, and started the organ when I was about 12.

“I’m the youngest of seven children, and all my brothers and sisters, and my mother, were players. So I grew up with the sound of people scraping violins, singing and doing God knows what! Then I was a choirboy at Westminster Cathedral, and of course heard the organ on a daily basis.”

He later returned to Westminster Cathedral as organist, after studying in Italy with legendary organist Fernando Germani. He has since worked as a freelance concert organist, playing at some of Europe’s most prestigious concert halls, and working for a while as organist at Athens Concert Hall. He has also been a prolific recording artist, and acted as consultant in the building of new organs and the restoration of historical organs. Teaching has also been a large part of his career, and since 2002 he has been Professor of Organ at the Royal Academy of Music. He is no stranger to Oxford, having taught and played here in the past. “I used to teach quite a number of the organ scholars, in Oxford and Cambridge,” he recalls. “I have played in New College, and also in the Town Hall, where they used to have regular organ recitals.

“I also used to visit Oxford a lot because I had relatives living there. So I’m very much looking forward to coming back.”

This year’s recital is the seventh in the Memorial Concert Series, which was set up by Dr Joanna Ashbourn, a close friend and former colleague of Andrew’s.

“This has grown into a well-known annual event, which many Oxfordshire people come to every year,” she says. “I regularly receive enquiries about when the next concert will be and who will be giving it! “Since Andrew was such a passionate organist, it has been very fulfilling to be able to commemorate his memory through this series and to provide a focus for the annual memorial activities which his family and friends can attend.”

 

Christ Church Cathedral
Tuesday, June 11, 8pm
Admission free
For more information about the  series, visit chch.ox.ac.uk