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ARTS ON ALEXANDER PRESENTS:

HOLLBROOK ORGAN SERIES | THOMAS KIENTZ

MARCH 8 | 7:30 P.M. | REDEEMER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Organist, Abbey of Saint-Maurice in Valais, Switzerland

Born in 1991 in Strasbourg, Thomas Kientz is a French organist and improviser, international concert performer.

Thomas Kientz is a laureate of several international competitions: the Olivier Messiaen competition (Lyon 2019), the 8th organ competition of Saint-Maurice (Switzerland 2015), the "Grand Prix Florentz" of the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Angers 2016), the André Marchal/Gaston Litaize competition (2017), the Schnitger competition of Alkmaar (Netherlands, 2017).

Since then, he has had an international career as a concert artist and organ improviser. He is regularly invited to prestigious festivals in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States where he was artist in residence at the Cathedral of New Orleans (Louisiana).

Thomas Kientz is a professor at the Haute Ecole de Musique (HEMU) in Lausanne/Fribourg and teaches at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels.

He is also titular organist at the Abbey of Saint-Maurice (VS). At the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris,

Thomas Kientz studied with Olivier Latry, Michel Bouvard, Thierry Escaich, Philippe Lefebvre, Yves Henry, Pierre Pincemaille, Laszlo Fassang, Isabelle Duha, Alain Mabit. He holds a Master's degree in organ performance, a Master's degree in improvisation, and Prizes in harmony, counterpoint, 20th-21st century writing and fugue. In addition, he met in Brussels the Belgian composer Benoît Mernier and within the framework of the Higher Institute of Music in Namur (Belgium) obtained a Master's degree specialized in organ interpretation.

On the recording front, Thomas Kientz has made several recordings, including his complete Homilius organ chorales published by Hortus. It has been acclaimed by the critics, obtained 5 diapasons and 5 stars in Classica. "This endearing repertoire finally benefits from its reference version" (X. Bisaro, Diapason, n°667, p 91).

Passionate about creation in all its forms and about timbre, Thomas Kientz is also a composer. His work Dominus Illuminatio mea for grand-organ won the composition competition of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. He also won a 3rd prize in the competition of the Swiss Society of Contemporary Music (ISCM) with his work for choir O Virgo Splendens.

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Event Details

• Date: Friday, March 8, 2024
• Time: 7:30 P.M.
• Venue: Redeemer Presbyterian Church
• Website: https://www.artsonalexander.org/events/holbrook-organ-series-thomas-kientz

Ticket Information

• Cost: No charge for admission

Presenter Details

• Name: Arts on Alexander

The founding board members of Arts on Alexander (AoA) established the nonprofit organization in 2019 after decades of serving and participating in Austin’s artistic community.

AoA derives its origins from Redeemer Presbyterian Church’s Redeemer Artes, which has hosted choral and instrumental organizations, including the Texas Early Music Project, La Follia, Conspirare, Austin Baroque Orchestra, and numerous national and international musicians on its East Austin campus.

AoA, as with its predecessor Redeemer Artes, seeks to provide a place where community development and artistic and cultural development can grow together.

AoA envisions building education and outreach and youth programs into its core offerings, including opportunities to engage in the culinary, literary, and visual arts.

As Austin is a dynamic and fast-growing city, AoA provides a common thread that brings diverse communities together for the benefit of the city and its people.

The current Arts on Alexander Board of Directors includes: Dr. Ben King, Dr. George Dupere, Barry McBee, Gerson Brisola, Carolyn Ahrens, Dewayne Perry, and Brenda Simms. For information on how to support Arts on Alexander, contact us.

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