30 June 2024 at 20:00

Andrew Forbes

Andrew Forbes is an innovative Scottish organist, who celebrates classic works whilst exploring new possibilities for the organ—particularly in his frequent collaborations with composers. Appointed as Director of Music at Glasgow Cathedral aged 21, his playing creates ‘a symbiosis between artist and instrument’ (The Montrealer), earning him invitations to perform at venues including Philharmonie de Paris, St Paul’s Cathedral (London) and Westminster Abbey.

Andrew advocates strongly for the organ’s place in modern society; in 2023 he was invited to join the board of Scotland’s Churches Trust where he chairs their Organ Advisory Committee, and he is a founder of ‘Sowne of Organe’, a project surveying Scotland’s most significant (and endangered) historic organs. Away from the console, Andrew directs the critically acclaimed Glasgow Cathedral Festival – ‘a minor miracle’ (VoxCarnyx) – with bold programming that brings life to the city’s oldest building. He teaches at Glasgow University and RCS, is a frequent guest with ensembles including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and is in demand as a collaborative pianist, sound engineer and producer.

Since 2019 Andrew has learned with Dame Gillian Weir, supported by awards from the Hope Scott Trust and the McGlashan Charitable Trust. He is a First Prize winner of the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition, a finalist at St Albans International Organ Competition, an Associate of the Royal College of Organists, and winner of the RCS Prize for Early Music. Andrew loves food, drink, and spending any free time with friends — preferably near water or up a hill.