The European Organ Festival Connecting Arts, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, 2011-2012
The history behind ancient musical instrument organ reaches back to approximately 270 B.C. when a Greek engineer named Ctesibius of Alexandria invented water organ. In the Middle Ages, swell-organs were built in all the largest European cathedrals. Nowadays, organ with its ranks of pipes of different tonalities possesses a unique ability to produce sounds, similar to trumpet, oboe, trombone, violoncello and even a human voice and the instrument itself has acquired the status of European cultural heritage. The mission of the Netherlands-based organization Stiching Voor de Wind is to make it familiar to wider audience. Initiated and organized by Stiching Voor de Wind, the festival Connecting Arts has set off in autumn 2011 and is based upon the success formula of the previously held Wind Art Festival (2002-2010). It links the sound of organ to fine samples of other art disciplines, like choreography and acrobatic circus acts, spanning musical masterpieces from Brahms' Requiem to famous compositions of Bach and Verdi. Moreover, the interdisciplinary festival encourages usage of this ancient instrument in most various spheres of art. Churches in Denmark, Sweden, France and Netherlands acquire entirely different and surprising artistic settings during this festival, becoming a platform for audiovisual installations, dance improvisations, musical theatre productions, poetry readings and amazing interplays of jazz and organ music.
For more detailed information and the Festival event calendar, please visit the website: www.connectingarts.org