Sunday March 30 at 3pm
Organist Mark Bensted

Born in Brisbane in 1959, Mark Bensted's musical interests were formed during his schooling at St Andrew 's Cathedral School, Sydney. He served successively as a chorister, School Organist and Deputy Organist under the Cathedral Organist, Michael Hemans. Upon turning 18 he was appointed the Assistant City Organist at Sydney Town Hall, when Robert Ampt, was appointed City Organist. The Assistant position was specially created for Bensted as a result of his performance in an open competition for the newly established position of City Organist. During his studies for a Bachelor of Music degree at Sydney University he won an organ scholarship each year, performed in innumerable concerts , won the open piano and piano concerto sections of the City of Sydney Eisteddfod, worked as a music copyist for Peter Sculthorpe and the ABC and toured with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, playing harpsichord continuo. He subsequently served as Music Director of the parish church of St Matthew's, Manly in Sydney, where he met his wife, Deborah. Like a significant number of notable musicians, Bensted maintained an interest in aviation and learnt to fly after completing his studies and working for a period as company pianist for a production of West Side Story. For his day (and night) job, Bensted currently pilots 747 aircraft over international routes, and maintains that a pipe organ console and airline cockpit are surprisingly similar. Since first playing the St John 's Cathedral organ at the age of 16, Bensted has had a particular fondness for this instrument and this cathedral.

Transcriptions (Ancient and Modern)

Programme

• Allegro (Opus 3 No 8) Antonio Vivaldi
  From Concerto IV BWV 593 transcribed JS Bach (1685-1750)
• To His Servant Bach, Graeme Koehne (b 1956)
  God grants a Final Glimpse: The Morning Star transcribed Christopher Cook (b1962)
• Allegro JS Bach (1685-1750)
  From Brandenburg Concerto BWV 1048 transcribed Mark Bensted (b1959)
• Crucifixion Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)
  from Symphonie-Passion (Opus 23)
• Fantasie-Improvisation on Charles Tournemire (1870-1939)
  on Ave Maris Stella transcribed Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
• Final, from Thirteen Improvisations Pierre Cochereau (1924-1984)
  on Versets for Vespers (nos 1,3,6,7,5 & 12) transcribed David Briggs (b1962)