Scottish Music Centre - Industry Directory

Artists | Classical | Composers and Arrangers

Born 1962 in Edinburgh, UK, was an organ pupil of Herrick Bunney at St.Giles Cathedral, and a composition student of Judith Weir at Glasgow University. He is currently based in London, where he is Organist of All Saints Church, Blackheath.

Although his solo repertoire embraces the music of all periods, it is as an indefatigable advocate of new music that Bonaventure has become known, both at home and abroad. He has to date given over 50 premieres of new works and arrangements for solo organ by composers including Gabriel Jackson, Judith Weir, Edward McGuire, Lyell Cresswell, James McMillan, Laurence Crane, Paul Patterson, Avril Anderson, David Sutton-Anderson, Ian McQueen, Geoffrey King, Jean-Pierre Leguay and many others. Current and near-future composer collaborations will see more new organ works from Paul Patterson, Timothy Salter, Yumi Hara Cawkwell and Glyn Perrin.

From 1980 – 1997 he appeared regularly as a recitalist in the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, promoting unusual repertoire and new works for the organ, and he has twice been presented in concert by ECAT (Edinburgh Contemporary Arts Trust): this included a critically-acclaimed performance of Messiaen’s “Livre d’Orgue” in 1994, and the world premiere of Jean-Pierre Leguay’s “Horizon” in 1996, both given on the world-renowned Rieger organ in St.Giles Cathedral.

His playing has been broadcast in programmes of contemporary music on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Scotland and on Swedish Radio, and he has performed widely around the UK, in Sweden, the USA and France, where he has several times given recitals in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, at the invitation of Jean-Pierre Leguay, many of whose organ works he has aperformed and broadcast for the first time in the UK.

A recording artist for Delphian Records (www.delphianrecords.co.uk), Bonaventure’s first solo CD was released in 2005, attracting critical acclaim. Entitled “2000 NAILS”(DCD34013), it showcases contemporary British works, played on the extraordinary Hope-Jones/Willis organ in Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall. His playing can also be heard on “Gabriel Jackson – Sacred Choral Music”(DCD34027), also recently issued. Additional recording projects with Delphian have included organ solos on discs devoted to music by Peter Maxwell Davies and Giles Swayne, both to be released during 2006, as well as Messiaen’s “Livre d’Orgue” and “Messe de la Pentecote”, recorded on the magnificent Rieger organ in St.Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, for release next year.

Active as a composer, Bonaventure has produced solo instrumental, chamber and choral music as well as works for the organ. His provocative “Animus VI”, published in 1999 by Lemoine, has been performed all over the world. He is currently at work on a new piece for the contemporary music ensemble Sounds Positive.

Forthcoming recitals include Truro Cathedral, Edinburgh University, St Davids Cathedral, All Saints Blackheath, St.Mary Redcliffe, Southwark Cathedral and Eglise St-Roch, Paris.

March 2006

Artists | Classical | Organ

Born 1962 in Edinburgh, UK, was an organ pupil of Herrick Bunney at St.Giles Cathedral, and a composition student of Judith Weir at Glasgow University. He is currently based in London, where he is Organist of All Saints Church, Blackheath.

Although his solo repertoire embraces the music of all periods, it is as an indefatigable advocate of new music that Bonaventure has become known, both at home and abroad. He has to date given over 50 premieres of new works and arrangements for solo organ by composers including Gabriel Jackson, Judith Weir, Edward McGuire, Lyell Cresswell, James McMillan, Laurence Crane, Paul Patterson, Avril Anderson, David Sutton-Anderson, Ian McQueen, Geoffrey King, Jean-Pierre Leguay and many others. Current and near-future composer collaborations will see more new organ works from Paul Patterson, Timothy Salter, Yumi Hara Cawkwell and Glyn Perrin.

From 1980 – 1997 he appeared regularly as a recitalist in the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, promoting unusual repertoire and new works for the organ, and he has twice been presented in concert by ECAT (Edinburgh Contemporary Arts Trust): this included a critically-acclaimed performance of Messiaen’s “Livre d’Orgue” in 1994, and the world premiere of Jean-Pierre Leguay’s “Horizon” in 1996, both given on the world-renowned Rieger organ in St.Giles Cathedral.

His playing has been broadcast in programmes of contemporary music on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Scotland and on Swedish Radio, and he has performed widely around the UK, in Sweden, the USA and France, where he has several times given recitals in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, at the invitation of Jean-Pierre Leguay, many of whose organ works he has aperformed and broadcast for the first time in the UK.

A recording artist for Delphian Records (www.delphianrecords.co.uk), Bonaventure’s first solo CD was released in 2005, attracting critical acclaim. Entitled “2000 NAILS”(DCD34013), it showcases contemporary British works, played on the extraordinary Hope-Jones/Willis organ in Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall. His playing can also be heard on “Gabriel Jackson – Sacred Choral Music”(DCD34027), also recently issued. Additional recording projects with Delphian have included organ solos on discs devoted to music by Peter Maxwell Davies and Giles Swayne, both to be released during 2006, as well as Messiaen’s “Livre d’Orgue” and “Messe de la Pentecote”, recorded on the magnificent Rieger organ in St.Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, for release next year.

Active as a composer, Bonaventure has produced solo instrumental, chamber and choral music as well as works for the organ. His provocative “Animus VI”, published in 1999 by Lemoine, has been performed all over the world. He is currently at work on a new piece for the contemporary music ensemble Sounds Positive.

Forthcoming recitals include Truro Cathedral, Edinburgh University, St Davids Cathedral, All Saints Blackheath, St.Mary Redcliffe, Southwark Cathedral and Eglise St-Roch, Paris.

March 2006