Alkmaar Orgelstad is the official website of the Stichting Internationaal Schnitger Orgelconcours
Within the context of a competition and an academy, the 1511 organ built by Jan van Covelens, and the great Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger of 1646/1725 form a focal point for the interpretation of organ literature.
With their sublime sounds and beautiful façades, the Alkmaar organs are among the very greatest ambassadors for the organ art. The great challenge to the participants of our festival is to allow these organs to sound at their best. The international jury and group of teachers play, in this regard, a stimulating and mediatory role in the learning process. A vital conceptual element of our festival, is the programming of unusual combinations and new compositions for historic organs, with the goal of reaching a new public. Through the commissioning of new compositions, and the programming of concerts for organ with choir, or electronics, we try to present the organ culture in a broader context.
The priorities therefore of the foundation are to present the famous historic organs of the Grote Sint Laurenskerk to the public in an unusually broad context, both locally and internationally, and to offer a podium to young professional organists.
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The executive committee of the foundation consists of: |
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| Wim v.d. Ham |
chairman |
| Frans Seijdell |
secretary |
| Paul Stoop |
treasurer |
| Chris Bragg |
committee member |
| Erica Hoorn |
committee member |
| Henk Pruis |
committee member |
| Hans Kelder |
committee member |
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The artistic committee consists of: |
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| Pieter van Dijk |
City Organist of Alkmaar and Professor of Organ at the Conservatories of Amsterdam and Hamburg |
| Jan Raas |
Former Professor of Organ at the Conservatories of Utrecht and Maastricht |
| Frank van Wijk |
Organist in Alkmaar and Bergen (N-H) |
You can contact the secretary at the following address:
Stichting Internationaal Schnitger Orgelconcours
p/a J.F. Seijdell
Hooiakker 93
1723 BM Noord-Scharwoude
Should you wish to make contact with any of the members of the artistic committee, please use the ‘contact’ page of this website.
The Stichting Internationaal Schnitger Orgelconcours (The International Schnitger Organ Competition Foundation) was founded on the 27th of March, 1991.
Once again fulfilling its intended purpose, the foundation will, for the eighth time, organise a competition in June 2009. In addition an organ academy will take place for the tenth time. The combined event has become known as 'Orgelfestival Holland' and features Alkmaar's renowned collection of historic organs.
Between 1993 and 1997 it was not possible to organise a competition, although a concert series and academy did take place.
A full report of the last edition of 'Orgelfestival Holland', which took place in June 2007, can be read here (pdf download)
The foundation is registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Alkmaar under number S41240666 and is classified as a legal entity as mentioned in art. 24, subsection 4, of the law of Death Duties.
