English organist Peter Vizard will give a recital today at the St Augustine parish church in Old Bakery Street, Valletta.

Vizard lives and works in Paris as a composer, conductor and organist. He is the head of the Frédéric Chopin Conservatoire, titular organist of the Reform Church of Pentemont-Luxembourg and musical director of the young Via Luce music ensemble.

Organist Peter Vizard.

He began his career as a chorister at King’s College Choir in Cambridge before studying organ, piano and conducting at the Royal College of Music. Vizard obtained a master’s degree from Cambridge University and a degree in electronic music from the Conservatoire de Paris.

He was also a producer on French radio and a journalist with several publications before completing his conducting studies with Igor Markevitch and Sergiu Celibidache. Apart from his career as a musician, he has also acted in different films, including The Professional and 1919, un Traité pour la Paix (ARTE).

The Mascioni organ housed within the church has two manuals and a pedal board with 20 speaking stops. Vizard will play a programme of major organ works by Bach and French composers like Clérambault andMarchand. He will also include some interesting improvisations on well-known tunes and Maltese melodies.

The concert starts at 8pm and entrance is free.

This event is supported by Fr Deo Debono OSA and the Valletta Augustinian Community.