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Assistant Director/Accompanist - Dr. Sigurd Øgaard
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Born in Bergen, Norway, in 1978, Sigurd Melvær Øgaard began studying
the organ with his uncle in 1988. In 1995, he was awarded a scholarship that
enabled him to attend the 1996 Summer Academy for Organists in Haarlem (The
Netherlands), where he studied with Professor Piet Kee. In 2002, he graduated
from the Grieg Academy in Bergen, majoring in organ performance and church
music (choral conducting). As part of this course, he spent one semester at the
Conservatoire in Birmingham, England, where he worked with David Saint, James
Parsons and David Bruce-Payne. During his time in Birmingham, Sigurd also
worked as organ scholar at St Mary's Collegiate Church in Warwick. While there
he became colleagues with Christopher Betts, now Director of Music at First
United Methodist Church in Lubbock, Texas. Sigurd is currently a doctoral
student at Texas Tech University, pursuing a degree in choral conducting. He is
also Assistant Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church.
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Since his first solo recital in 1992, Sigurd M. Øgaard has given
numerous organ recitals in Norway, Denmark, Germany, England and the United
States. He was a featured soloist in the 2003 Bergen International Music
Festival (Poulenc's Organ Concerto), and has given solo recitals in such
prestigious places as St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral in London,
Coventry and Birmingham Cathedrals (England), St. Bavo Kerk (Haarlem, The
Netherlands) and Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Currently in the
process of performing the complete organ works by J. S. Bach on the Holtkamp
organ in TTU's Hemmle Recital Hall, Sigurd is also active as a harpsichordist,
pianist, and accompanist. He frequently performs with his wife, Dr. Kirsten
Yon, Assistant Professor of Violin at Texas Tech University.
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The Lubbock Chorale performs great choral masterworks at the highest
attainable standards and provides a public service by bringing such music to
the attention of the community.
The Chorale regularly performs with other organizations of national
and international reputation both in and out of Lubbock. Also, the Chorale
provides a meeting place for choral singers of compentences and achievement to
further their musical education.
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