Tullamore International Summer Organ Series

Bogdan Şofei is the leader, violinist/founding member of ConTempo Quartet, a celebrated string quartet that has been RTÉ's Quartet in Residence since 2014 and has been Galway's Ensemble in Residence since 2003. He is also the concertmaster of Luminosa, Galway’s first professional permanent orchestra, founded in 2018. Bogdan has won numerous international awards as a chamber music practitioner and has performed over 2000 concerts in major venues in 42 countries including his native Bulgaria, the UK, USA, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, Romania, etc. Bogdan became an Irish citizen in 2011 and was awarded the degree of DMus honoris causa by National University of Ireland, Galway, for outstanding services to music in his adopted country. He has been a regular and much-admired participant in these July concerts in Tullamore over the years.

Thomas Charles Marshall was born in Tullamore. He studied piano and flute at the Royal Irish Academy of Music before commencing his organ studies at St Finian's College, Mullingar with Shane Brennan. In 1990, he was appointed organ scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, continuing his studies with Peter Hurford.

In 1994, he travelled to Japan focusing on the study of Japanese traditional music. He met the satsumabiwa master, Yoshinori Fumon the same year and formally started lessons in December 1995. In 1999, he received the biwa title Ranjo. He has performed and lectured on the instrument in Australia, the United States, South Korea, UK, Denmark and Italy.

In 2008, he returned to Ireland and recommenced his organ studies with David Adams, receiving a Masters in Music Performance on organ. He was appointed Organist and Director of Music at St Ann's Church, Dawson St, Dublin in 2009, a post he holds to this day.

In 2024, he became Artistic Director of the Tullamore International Summer Organ Series.