Jennifer Bate
Sundry
Born
UK
Studies
UK
Highlights
World authority on Olivier Messaien, and his organist of choice, World Premiere Recording of Livre du Saint Sacrement by Messiaen
Awards
Royal College of Organists: J F Read Prize (UK) 1966; Grand Prix du Disque; Personalité de l’Année 1990; Honorary Citizenship of the province of Alessandria (Italy) 1996; Order of the British Empire in The Queen's Birthday Honours List
Recordings
SOMM, Albany Records, Regis Recordings, Sanctuary, Jade
Short Biography
Jennifer Bate is in the top rank of international organists and has long been a favourite at all the world’s great festivals.  Her vast repertoire ranges from the 18th century to the most modern virtuoso scores. 

In 1990, Jennifer’s artistry and outstanding contribution to music received international recognition with the Personnalité de l’Année award by the French-based jury.  She was only the third British artist to achieve this distinction, after Sir Georg Solti and Sir Yehudi (later Lord) Menuhin. In 2002, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, in 2007 she received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Bristol University, in 2008 she was awarded an OBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List and, in 2011, the French Government appointed her as both an Officier of the Order of Arts and Letters and as a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur.

Jennifer is widely recognised as the world authority on the organ works of Olivier Messiaen, with whom she worked extensively.  In 1980-82, she recorded his then complete works at Beauvais Cathedral.  Each volume was heard by Messiaen prior to release and endorsed by him with great enthusiasm.  All won international acclaim and she became his organist of choice, to whom he re-allocated all his own organ recitals over the last decade of his life.   Among numerous awards were the Diapason d’Or and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.  Her TV programme of La Nativité (recorded live in Norwich Cathedral) was released on DVD in January 2010 by Digital Classics.
One of her most popular CDs has been the Unicorn-Kanchana Records’ Vivaldi Double and Triple Concertos, for which Jennifer researched original manuscripts to make the performing editions. 
Recent engagements include concerts in Australia, Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Gran Canaria, Holland, Italy, Monaco and Spain. UK engagements have included a solo BBC Promenade Concert and Messiaen’s Livre du Saint Sacrement in the South Bank Messiaen Festival (Westminster Cathedral).

Educational projects have included master classes and public lectures at Oxford, Cambridge and Bristol Universities, and the annual Jennifer Bate Organ Academy for girls. 
Jennifer is also a composer. Her CD, entitled Reflections, forms a musical autobiography spanning 25 years. She has a deep knowledge of the history of music, lectures on a wide range of musical subjects at university level and particularly enjoys working with young people.

2017/2018
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