Stefan Donner comes from Vienna and is the fourth organist at our spring 2020 season of Wednesday@One. We spoke to him about his upcoming organ recital to find out what we can expect from his programme as well as finding out more about his career.Could you give us a background to you as a musician?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I started when I was seven years old by playing the clarinet. Later on I moved onto piano and organ, as I replaced the organist in my home town, and that’s how I got into church music and the organ scene. At first I wasn’t that convinced about playing the organ but later on it became something I wanted to continue doing. Eventually I went on to study organ and piano at the University of Music in Vienna, my home city, and I also worked with some organ tutors in Amsterdam and in America.</span>After these studies I moved back to Austria and began teaching in schools. How did you pick your pieces for the recital?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I wanted to play a variety of different styles and different kinds of music, so I’ve chosen some Buxtehude, a very important composer from the North German Baroque. I also wanted to do some French music which is why I’ve chosen the Intermezzo from Vierne’s Symphony no. 3. There’s also some pierces by Schumann composed for the pedal piano but which is easily adapted to the organ. And, of course, since I’m playing in England I thought I’d play some music from James Healey Willan, a British/Canadian organist and composer.</span>You’ve toured all over the world; do you have a particular place you’ve most enjoyed playing?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I’ve recently been to London where it was a really great experience to play in Westminster Abbey. Two years ago I performed at the Washington National Cathedral which was also a remarkable place to play.</span>I also very much enjoy playing North German organs, and therefore I have travelled to Germany and the Netherlands quite often to play some organs there. I did some recitals last year in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. It’s really interesting playing Do you find you get different reactions in different countries to the pieces you play?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">It depends mostly on the audience. It’s not really a matter of which country.</span>What are your plans for the rest of 2020?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Whilst I’m in the UK I’ll also be playing at St. Andrews, which is part of a recital series. I’m also going to Newcastle cathedral, which is actually my first stop, with Queen’s College, Cambridge the final date. I will play more recitals in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and in the USA later this year.</span>Join us for our weekly Wednesday@One Organ Recitals at 1pm, with a lunch buffet available from 12:30pm. Stefan Donner will be playing on Wednesday 5th February 2020. More information on this recital, all others and this season’s coffee concerts can be found in the programme available to buy from the recitals and concerts.
January seems to go on for ages, doesn't it? As we finally reach the second month of 2020, let's take a look at some of the many events happening at Bradford Cathedral that you can take part in!Centenary Square Pancake RaceOn Shrove Tuesday, 25th February, we're taking over Centenary Square from 12:30pm with our first annual Pancake Race raising money for the Lord Mayor's Appeal. In conjunction with Bradford BID we're looking for local businesses, charities, organisations and groups to step up and be one of sixteen teams to take part. Who will win the final trophy? Entries open shortly but you can register your interest now at https://pancake-race.eventbrite.co.uk/Plus, if you want to enjoy the best time of year for pancakes even more, then check out the Mini Mardi Gras organised by our friends at The Brick Box Rooms. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/events/586681015242322/MusicWe have lots of great music events coming up in February, including saxophonist Rob Burton on Tuesday 11th February. We spoke to him to find out more about his coffee concert, and you can read his blog online today!As well as this coffee concert our weekly organ recitals continue with more great organists each and every Wednesday at 1pm. This month we welcome Stefan Donner from Vienna, Christopher Stokes from Manchester, Alex Woodrow from Leeds and Irena Kosikova from Prague. You can find out more about them on our website, with blog posts and the chance to listen back to previous sets.ArtOur next Artspace exhibition begins on Ash Wednesday, the 26th February. Ali Thistlethwaite presents Encounters with Jesus and it launches at the 7pm service. Find out more about her work and this exhibition in our blog post.ConversationsOn Sunday 9th February at 12noon you can come along to the cathedral to take part in Flourishing City - Vision 2020, which is your opportunity to let us know what you want to see from the city of Bradford in twenty years time, with all feedback being sent over to Bradford Council.Also one week later, on Sunday 16th February, Bishop Nick Baines presents his talk entitled Waiting for a Miracle?, which will be a contemporary look at politics, wisdom and faith. He'll also be preaching at the evensong that day as well. The address begins at 2pm, with Evensong at 4pmOur weekly Monday Fellowship also meets once more on Monday 10th February and this month's topic is 'Is it possible to be a Christian in the Military?'. That question will be explored by speaker Martin Cosgrove from 2pm in our Parish Room.Family ActivitiesIf you're looking for something to do this half-term with your family, then make sure you come to see us on Tuesday 18th February and Thursday 20th February from 10am - 12noon where you'll be able to make a whole range of spring-themed crafts, as well as taking part in guided tours at 11am and 1pm.Special Services and EventsWe start February with Son et Lumière on Saturday 1st, which is a pilgrimage around Bradford Cathedral. Starting at 6:30pm, spaces are limited and can be booked on Eventbrite.We also continue the theme of candles with our Candlemas Eucharist on Sunday 2nd February at 4pm. If you want even more spectacle, don't miss our Annual Legal Service earlier on that same day at 11am, which also includes a special address from the Right Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Ripon.LentThe period of Lent begins on Wednesday 26th February with a Holy Communion service at 7:30am, service at 10:15am and a Choral Eucharist at 7pm. You can also join us for a breakfast at the Rooftop cafe on the Wednesday at 8am.Copies of this year's Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent book, 'Saying Yes to Life' by Ruth Valerio, are now available to buy from the Bradford Cathedral shop.There are more Lent-based events and services in March, including our Lent Course with Canon Andrew Tawn and there will be more about that in next month's blog.And finally...As mentioned in last month's blog, 2020 is the Year of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage and we now have prayer cards to pick up in the cathedral, with a different design at each cathedral in the country. Can you collect them all?The February edition of our Keeping in Touch magazine is now available to pick up at Bradford Cathedral, or you can view it online.There are also many regular meetings throughout the month including Stitching@Bradford Cathedral, Carers' Crafts, the Women of Faith Book Group, our Toddler's Group and Just A Minute, as well as Places of Welcome and our monthly Bring and Share Lunch. You can find out more on our website about when they meet, or why not follow us on Facebook and join the events?Make sure you pick up a copy of our what's on booklet from Bradford Cathedral or around the city to find out more, or view it online. Next month is even busier with another coffee concert, our Lent Course, the Singing Day with Professor Paul Mealor, the Earth Hour Candle-Lit Concert with Ben Comeau and, one of our favourites, the Fairtrade Breakfast! See you soon at Bradford Cathedral!
Monday Fellowship is a monthly meeting at Bradford Cathedral which features a series of thought-provoking talks on a wide range of subjects. All are welcome to attend. The February meeting takes place on Monday 10th February from 2pm – 3:15pm in the Bradford Cathedral Parish Room and the talk will be delivered by Martin Cosgrove, covering the subject of ‘Is it possible to be a Christian in the Military’? We spoke to Martin ahead of the talk to find out more about what we can expect.How did this topic come about?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">I had the honour of laying the wreath at the Remembrance Day service in 2019 and afterwards someone challenged me about having served in Northern Ireland. After talking it over with the cathedral staff we thought it was worth talking about the topic as it’s not simple.</span>What I am going to do in this talk is bring out some of the big difficulties there are and how Christians make decisions about whether military service is right for them. Serving in the military is not a cut-and-dried issue; it’s a decision that has to be made with your conscience. How was it serving in Northern Ireland in terms of being a person of faith?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Going to the local church and hearing hell and damnation for all Catholics preached from the pulpit, fuelling the tensions, was really enlightening.</span>I used to think, before I went to Northern Ireland, that it wasn’t a Christian problem: it was about the Republicanism and Unionism, and it was nothing to do with Protestantism and Catholicism.I discovered when I went there that I was fundamentally wrong about that and I had been an apologist for the most appalling Christian behaviour emanating from the pulpit. Will there be a chance for people to ask questions?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Yes, but I might not have the answers!</span>Finally, if you could sum up what to expect from your talk, what would it be?<span style="font-size: 1rem;">The talk will help people to think again towards your own attitudes to people who decide to join the military and their attitudes towards politicians who take us to war.</span>
Sermon preached by the Reverend Canon Professor Myra Shackleyhttps://www.mixcloud.com/bfdcathedral/sermon-preached-at-cathedral-eucharist-26th-january-2020/
