AFNOM is supported by the Royal College of Organists and the Incorporated Association of Organists

Welcome to the 2012 AFNOM website

AFNOM is a ‘shop-window’ for new music - a unique, multi-purpose international festival whose aim is to attract composers of any age, nationality and stylistic background to submit their compositions to be played, heard, discussed and sold. We all have much to learn from each other as musicians. The organ music of other countries, cultures and composers can influence our way of thinking and inspire great creativity and growth. We hope that all of you who visit this website will find inspiration as well as enjoyment. Since we began in 2006, AFNOM has featured music by a staggering 91 composers and 52 performers from 16 countries. Some of these composers are well known figures in their native lands while the rest are largely self-published professional musicians. Within the programmes there is a great breadth of style and idiom, many contrasting voices and a real sense of cultural diversity. The works featured are examples of the overall variety of contemporary styles available to organists today; they show great awareness of traditions and the capabilities of the instrument, but nevertheless shine a light towards the future and its possibilities. Through coming together to exchange music in this way, composers and performers can support each other and encourage development. When connections are made, friendships formed or new works created, we will have succeeded in achieving one of our main objectives, which is to stimulate a growth in the overall awareness and appreciation of good modern organ music.

Introduction from the Festival Director

"It gives us great pleasure to introduce this year's festival in partnership with the Royal College of Organists. AFNOM and the RCO are working together to encourage artistic relationships between musicians here in the UK and abroad as we share our resources, broaden our scope and offer an increasing number of people worldwide the chance to exchange ideas in an environment which is non-competitive and unbiased. The festival already draws visitors from overseas to take part in our activities, which are broadly educational and centre upon propagating a rich and valuable heritage for the musicians of tomorrow, while breathing life into the music of today. The RCO library in Birmingam is now the main UK repository for AFNOM scores; which is fast becoming one of the most diverse archives of contemporary organ music in the world.

One of our objectives is to assist the development of contemporary music by creating cultural links between groups and individuals from different countries, and with 2012 set to be a great year of national celebrations (both Olympic Games and the Queen's Jubilee) we are proud to host another festival in London.

The last festival was yet another extraordinary series of live events in both London and Helsinki. The Royal Canadian College of Organists celebrated its 100th anniversary, so the educational theme of events was that of Canadian organ music. We were introduced to the country's rich musical history with lecture-demonstrations, as well as a programme at Westminster Abbey devoted to Canadian composers and featuring the winning work in our composition competition to write a celebratory fanfare for the centenary. Composers and performers travelled from many far reaches of the world to attend and take part in the exhibition-concerts, recitals, master-classes and public discussions. Once again, we were treated to some of the most exhilarating and inspiring music, made many new acquaintances and some firm new friends! The photograph above was taken at AFNOM 2009 featuring from left to right: Gilles Maurice Leclerc (President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists); Ruth Watson Henderson (Canadian composer and winner of the 'RCCO Fanfare competition'); Martin Stacey (AFNOM festival director); Maxine Thevenot (Canadian concert organist); Andrew Ager (Canadian composer, performer); Jennifer Bate (British composer and concert organist).

It is clear from the rich variety of information contained on these pages that this festival is making a valuable impact worldwide, and that a great many people are finding a place for their work that was not available before. Performers are likewise having opportunities created to be heard by the best audiences.

On this website, you can listen to live recordings made at the previous four years' exhibition-concerts, read the programme notes, information about the composers and performers, and transcripts of the discussions. I hope you enjoy sharing in one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding contemporary music ventures in recent times. Please encourage people to listen to these works online throughout the year, and thanks go to all those who have helped to make AFNOM possible."

Martin Stacey, January 2012

Applications for the next festival are due by 1st July 2012