' Blazing technique': Award-winning organist Clive Driskill-Smith makes his Bermuda Festival debut as a solo artist this evening with a concert at St. John's Church beginning at 8 p.m.

Award-winning organist Clive Driskill-Smith makes his Bermuda Festival debut as a solo artist this evening with a concert at St. John's Church, Pembroke, beginning at 8 p.m.

He devotes a great deal of time to planning his concert programmes, and prefers to include a combination of short and longer works, as well as those which use every stop on the instrument.

He also enjoys communicating with his audience between pieces, as those attending tonight's concert will discover.

His repertoire spans six centuries, and includes the complete works of Maurice Duruflé and Olivier Messiaen. His performances have been broadcast in many countries, and he is also a recording artist.

Mr. Driskill-Smith is one the leading organists of his generation, and critics have praised his 'blazing technique', 'unbelievable virtuosity', and 'astounding talent', while his performances have been described as 'intensely moving' and 'truly breathtaking'.

Born in 1978, he began studying the organ aged 15, and went on to win many prestigious awards and scholarships both before and during his time as the Christopher Tatton Organ Scholar at Christ Church, Oxford University. While there he was awarded both the Associate of the Royal College of Music diploma in piano performance, and the Fellow of the Royal College of Organists diploma with the Limpus, Shinn and Durrant prizes, and the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Silver Medal. He graduated with an honours degree in Music in 1999 and a MPhil degree in 2001.

Winner of the Royal College of Organists' 'Performer of the Year' competition in 2000, and the Calgary International Organ Competition in Canada in 2002, Mr. Driskill-Smith has performed throughout Europe, in North and South America, South Africa, the Far East, Australia and New Zealand.

Hailed as 'the star of a new generation' by the London Evening Standard, over the next 30 years Mr. Driskill-Smith aims to change the perception that the organ is 'a Sunday morning machine that plays hymns'. Instead, he hopes that people will really come to enjoy attending organ recitals rather than just seeing them as 'something interesting'.

n For tickets and further information see the special Bermuda Festival calendar on page 12 or visit www.bermudafestival.org

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