Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has announced Daniel Moult as the music and acting academy’s new Head of Organ.
Daniel Moult will succeed current Department head Henry Fairs, who has held the position since 2007.
Described by ‘The Organ’ as “one of the finest organists of our time”, Daniel Moult has a formidable reputation as a player and teacher and has made a significant contribution to the Organ Department at the Conservatoire since his appointment in 2016.
As a soloist, Daniel performs regularly throughout the UK, Europe, Australia and Singapore, with upcoming concerto appearances in London and Germany, and a major multi-DVD and CD recording project to be launched shortly.
His London-based work includes coaching various younger professional organists, and his renowned educational profile has also extended to several anthologies for Bärenreiter and other publishers.
Incoming Head of Organ, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said:
“I am honoured and delighted to be entrusted with the direction of this renowned and vibrant organ department. Over the years, Henry Fairs has worked tirelessly to establish the Department as a national centre of excellence.
“Working alongside Henry, other colleagues and the dedicated and talented array of students here, I envisage a bright and thrilling future for the organ art at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.”
In order to meet his bourgeoning international commitments, Henry Fairs will step aside from the role of Head of Organ in November 2017. However, he remains a permanent member of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire staff and will devote his time at the institution to teaching and artistic projects.
Henry Fairs enjoys a world-wide reputation as a recitalist, teacher and international competition jury member. A multi-award winning performer, recent engagements include performances in festivals at Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Naumburg and Merseburg Orgeltage, Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Space, Ekaterinburg Bach Fest in Russia and masterclasses at the conservatoires of Leipzig, Stuttgart, Zagreb, Oslo and Copenhagen, as well as an adjudicator for the Carl Nielsen, Wadden Sea and Silbermann international organ competitions.
Part of Birmingham City University, the new Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is a unique contemporary building, incorporating five public performance spaces including a new 500 seat concert hall for orchestral training and performance, a purpose-built organ studio and private rehearsal and practice rooms.
Furthermore, as the first purpose built conservatoire in the UK since 1987, the £57 million institution which opened earlier this month is the only one of its kind in the country designed for the demands of the digital age.
The Organ Studio at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, for example, houses a Eule Pipe organ with extensive plans for additional new instruments, and features overhead performance lighting and a Dante audio network for flexible location recording purposes.
The venue has a distinctive shape and tranquil atmosphere created by natural light flooding onto the pale wood of the interior. It is completely flexible in terms of the set-up and layout of the performance area and audience seating.
