On Sunday, August 15 in the Licheń Basilica, we heard another concert as part of the 3rd International Lichen Festival of Organ Music "Basilica Sonans". Michal Novenko from Prague played on the Lichen organ.
This year's 3rd International Lichen Festival of Organ Music is slowly coming to an end. There are only two concerts ahead of us, to which we cordially invite you!
On Sunday, August 15, a brilliant musician who came to Lichen from the Czech Republic sat at the counter of the Lichen organ ensemble.
Michal Novenko, professor of the Prague Conservatory, began the Sunday concert with an exciting Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 533 by JS Bach. The musician has made many CD, radio and television recordings, through which he presented over 120 different organs, promoting vintage instruments. The recital also featured works from the 17th century: Fantasia in C major of "Orpheus of Amsterdam" by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck or the volume of António Correa Braga, introducing some Iberian rhythms to the Licheń basilica. The listeners had the opportunity to find references to familiar melodies in Franz Liszt's Evocation à la Chapelle Sixtine and an extremely interesting improvisation on the theme of Marian songs. The concert ended with Léon Boëllmann's Sortie in B flat major.
Michal Novenko studied at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Music and Art in Prague, gaining diplomas in playing the organ in the class of prof. Jaroslav Vodražek, as well as composition, conducting and music theory. He took part in master classes with J. Guillou (Paris), H. Rilling and F. Donatoni. He has received numerous awards in the field of organ improvisation and composition.
Professor at the Prague Conservatory, he conducted international master classes in the USA, Mexico, Israel and South Africa. He participated, inter alia, at international festivals in Rome, Arezzo, Sion, Orleans, Bourges, Warwick, Peterborough, Dresden, Hamburg, Weingarten, Palma de Mallorca, Mexico City, Port Elizabeth, Jerusalem.
Multiple participant of organ festivals in Poland (Kłodzko, Kamień Pomorski, Leżajsk, Toruń, Gdański, Wrocław, Świdnica, Zabrze). Juror of organ competitions.
He has made many CD, radio and television recordings, presenting over 120 different organs, promoting vintage instruments. He received the "Star Recording" award for the CD "Organy w Santanyí" (Majorca, Spain).
Text and photos: Sanctuary Press Office
Also read: Organ concerts
