John-Baptiste Robin, organist at the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles, presents two free master classes and a recital at St. James Cathedral in this three-day celebration of French organ music hosted by the School of Music, the Seattle Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and St. James Cathedral. Robin, who is also Professor of Organ at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional in Versailles, is considered one of the most prominent French organists of his generation.
All events are open to the public. There is a suggested donation fee for the Oct. 11 recital at St. James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Ave., Seattle. Admission to both master classes is free.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday Oct. 9 Master Class
7:30 pm
FREE
St. James Cathedral
804 9th Ave Seattle, WA
Thursday, Oct. 10: Master Class
7:30 pm
FREE
Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall
Friday, Oct. 11: Recital
8 pm
$15 suggested donation
St. James Cathedral
804 9th Ave Seattle, WA
ARTIST BIO
Jean-Baptiste Robin
Jean-Baptiste Robin is one of the most prominent French organists and composers of his generation. He is the Organist at the Royal Chapel in the palace of Versailles and Professor of Organ at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional in Versailles.
He studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris and he also studied composition in the class of George Benjamin at King’s College, London.
He studied organ with Marie-Claire Alain (two years in the CRR Superieur of Paris), Olivier Latry, Michel Bouvard (Paris) and Louis Robilliard (Lyon). At age 23, Jean-Baptiste Robin was appointed to the prestigious post of organist of the Cathedral of St Peter in Poitiers. In 2010 he was appointed organist at the Royal Chapel in palace of Versailles, succeeding great musicians like François Couperin, Louis Marchand, Louis-Claude Daquin or Claude Balbastre.
As a performer he has appeared throughout Europe, Japan, South Korea, North Africa, Canada and in more than twenty states in North America where he performed a recital for the AGO 2010 National Convention.
In Europe he has performed in some fifteen countries and in most famous international organ festivals including Haarlem, Monaco, le Paris-des-Orgues, Toulouse-les-orgues, Royal festival Hall London, Porto, Masevaux, Gottfried Silbermann festival, Mendelssohn festival in Coblenz, International Orgelsummer in Potsdam-Sans Souci.
He has given master classes on French organ music for the American Guild of Organists and some Universities (Washington D.C., Cincinnati and Minneapolis), the International Summer Academy in Haarlem (Holland), the Korean Guild of Organists in Seoul, the Hochschule of Tübingen and Rottenburg (Germany), and each year at the Poitiers Summer Academy (France).
As a composer Jean-Baptiste Robin is the author of thirty works ranging from solo instrument to full orchestra. He is the winner of the Lagardère Foundation, the Academy of Fine Arts and George Price Enesco from SACEM. His works respond to many commissions including the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the Orchestre National de Radio France, the London Philharmonia Orchestra and they were performed by many conductors as Pierre Boulez for his 85th birthday. His organ works are performed all around the world and are published by Gérard Billaudot Éditeur.
In 2013 a new CD release will appear : a Portrait of the EM Skinner organ at the Museum Center in Cincinnati, including Robin’s own transcriptions of Debussy, Bartók, Barber, Albeniz and Malher works. In 2013 he has also composed a Concerto for Organ, String Orchestra and timpani untitled Mecanic Fantasy and first performed many times in Europe by the Orchestre de Normandie.