Young German organist Jan Liebermann takes first prize in Armagh
Jan Liebermann, 18, from Germany, has won the 2024 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition (NIIOC).
The competition took place in Armagh on 12–14 August.
Liebermann beat 12 competitors in the Senior Category (for post-Grade 8 players aged 21 and under), to win £4,000, five international recitals and a trophy presented by Neiland & Creane Organ Builders.
Liebermann is a student of Professor Gerhard Gnann at the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Music in Mainz, where he also studies organ improvisation with Lutz Brenner. His competition recital programme comprised the Concert Overture in C minor by Alfred Hollins, the Adagio from J.S. Bach’s Toccata, Adagio & Fugue BWV 564, and the Prelude & Fugue in G minor, Op. 7 No. 3 by Marcel Dupré.
Liebermann said: ‘It is such a great honour to be awarded the first prize at this wonderful competition. I experienced the competition as very open-minded, and it was so great to have this cultivating exchange with all the different participants from all over the world, which is really enriching … I think that this Northern Ireland International Organ Competition is the perfect place for widening your horizon.’
Second place – The David McElderry Award, of £1,000 and three public recitals – was awarded to US organist Daniel Colaner (19), a student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia; Colaner also won the Bach Prize and £300 for his performance of J.S. Bach’s Fugue in G minor, BWV 54/2 which opened his programme. Third Place of £500 and three public recitals went to Eben Eyers (20) from the UK, an undergraduate at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. The Dame Gillian Weir Medal and £300 for the most outstanding performance of a single work was awarded to Adam Suk (19) from the Czech Republic, for his performance of the Finale from Petr Eben’s Sunday Music. Tingshuo Yang, Joseph Hyam and Miriam Reveley, all from the UK, were Highly Commended.
In the Intermediate Category (for players of Grades 6-8 standard who have not yet gained an organ diploma), Ludwig Emanuel Haenchen (16) from Germany won first prize of £500; he performed Jean Guillou’s 7ème Saga and Franck’s Pièce héroïque. Second prize of £300 went to Pascal Georges (15) from Germany, and third prize of £200 went to Chamberlain Ofosu (14) from the UK; Gavin Phelps (15) from the UK was Highly Commended.
Martin Droppa (15), from the Czech Republic, won first prize of £300 in the Junior Category (for players of Grades 4-5 standard).
The competition jury comprised Thomas Trotter (chair), Anna-Victoria Baltrusch and David Hill. Trotter commented, ‘Jan Liebermann displayed a maturity way beyond his years and was technically in command of everything he played. Daniel Colano impressed us with his sensitivity and insightfulness coupled with a virtuoso technique.’
NIIOC is principally funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through its National Lottery Fund, and also received funds from the Eric Thompson Trust for Organists and Organs.
