David Briggs studied organ with Jean Langlais in Paris. His career as a brilliant concert organist has taken him to more than 20 countries . He is known particularly for his orchestral transcriptions and his improvisations. He has transcribed several improvisations of Pierre Cochereau, the celebrated organist of Notre-Dame de Paris. He won the first prize in the International Improvisation Competition at Paisley and was the first British winner of the Tournemire Prize at the St Albans International Improvisation Competition. David gives regular masterclasses at the Royal Northern College of Music and Cambridge University and frequently serves on international competition juries. Having held positions at Truro and Hereford Cathedrals as well as King’s College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar, David is Organist Emeritus at Gloucester Cathedral, where he directed the music for eight years. While at Gloucester, he oversaw the complete rebuilding of the Cathedral organ by Nicholson, and directed the Three Choirs Festivals, conducting some of the UK’s finest professional orchestras, notably the Philharmonia. David Briggs is also a prolific composer, with works ranging from full scale oratorios to works for solo instruments (including the carillon!). Recent commissions include a 110 minute setting of the St John Passion for choir, chamber orchestra and soloists; a setting of the Solemn Requiem Mass; an Organ Concerto and a Song Cycle, “Dreamworld”. Orchestral transcriptions include Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” Mahler No. 5 and Ravel’s Daphnis & Chloe. To date, David’s 23 solo organ CDs have received wide critical acclaim. In 2004-2005, David played more than 50 concerts around the world in venues including the Royal Albert Hall in London, the International Performing Center in Moscow and Severance Hall in Cleveland, Ohio. He is frequently asked to perform improvisations for silent movies including Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Phantom of the Opera, Nosferatu and Charlie Chaplin’s Gold Rush. For more information about David his recordings, please visit his website: www.david-briggs.org.uk.