Tullamore International Summer Organ Series

David O’Doherty studied with Ronald Masin at the DIT Conservatory of Music, Dublin and received a B.Mus.Performance Degree in 1996. In 2000 he received a ‘Premier Prix de Virtuosite’ from the Conservatoire of Lausanne, Switzerland where he studied with Pierre Amoyal and Jean Jaquerod. At the Geneva Conservatory David graduated from the class of Gabor Takacs-Nagy in 2005 as leader of the Byron String Quartet with whom he continued to work in the class of the Ysaye Quartet in Paris as well as in Pro-Quartet, a scheme for the development and promotion of professional ensembles. In 1997 David made his American debut live on the Boston Radio show ‘Morning pro Musica’ and a year later made his soloist's debut with the RTENational Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by recitals at the NCH, the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre, New World Music Festival in Venezuela, and in Switzerland with Pierre Amoyal. David is co-founder of the Paderewski Trio in Switzerland and of the Reflecting Strings Harp Trio in Ireland with whom he has released five CDs. Now a lecturer at the DIT conservatory of music in Dublin, he shares his time between solo performances and giving chamber recitals throughout Europe.

Simon Harden was born in Dublin and has lived in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Paris. At present, he holds a Lecturer position in Organ at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. Before returning to Dublin in 2015, he worked as Organist and ‘Kantor’ in several parts of Germany, most recently in the Anglican church in Frankfurt and the Christuskirche in Bad Vilbel. He pursues a busy career as a performer with regular concert engagements taking him throughout Europe and Japan.
He began his studies at Trinity College Dublin reading Music and History of Art, while studying organ with Peter Sweeney. Further studies at the Music Academies in Berlin (Leo van Doeselaar) and Hamburg (Wolfgang Zerer) led to a first-class Postgraduate degree in performance in 2004. Two years of studying French music in Paris with Eric Lebrun gained him a ‘Premier Prix’ in 2006. On receiving a scholarship from the City of Hamburg, Simon returned to complete the ‘Konzertexamen’ – the highest award for performance in Germany – with Wolfgang Zerer and Pieter van Dijk.
During his studies, Simon won 1st prize and audience prize at the ‘International Schnitger Organ Competition’ in Alkmaar, Holland 2007 and in October 2006 he was awarded 2nd prize at the Swiss International Organ Competition ‘Grand Prix Bach de Lausanne’. In December 2006 he was selected from all the instrumental students at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg to receive the DAAD prize for ‘outstanding performance and intercultural involvement’. He has recorded solo CDs on the Marcussen organ in Gettorf and the new Glatter-Götz organ in Frankfurt.