Robert Ampt |
Robert Ampt has been the Sydney City Organist since his return from Vienna to Australia in 1978, after four years of study with Anton Heller.
A former teacher/lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium, Sydney University and the University of Wollongong, Ampt is currently the organist and choir master of Sydneys Lutheran Church, a regular lecturer for the WEA Adult Education Centre and a frequent adjudicator in organ playing competitions.
As well as Vienna, he has performed in international venues in Europe, Japan, the United States and New Zealand.
His many Australian performances include appearances at the Sydney Opera House, the organ festivals of Adelaide and Melbourne, the Arts festivals of Armidale and Goulburn, the Newcastle Cathedral Festival, and the Sydney Festival. He has also had many appearances on national ABC radio (including, The Improvisation of Chorale Preludes in 1988 and New Sydney Organs in 1989) and on television.
Between 1980-83 he was Artistic Director of the City of Wollongong Pipe Organ Festival and directed the first Sydney Organ Academy in September 1988. He has had prize-winning students in recent Australian organ-playing competitions.
Ampt writes and arranges organ and choral music, and has made audio recordings on the ABC, Move and Woodward labels, and a video recording on the Marcom label performing Guilmants Symphony No. 1 in D minor with the SBS Youth Orchestra. ABC Radio programs have included New Sydney Organs and The Improvisation of Chorale Preludes.
Ampt has published a much-acclaimed history of the Sydney Town Hall organ, as well as other publications in both national and international organ journals, was the founding co-editor of the Adelaide Organ Music Society Newsletter and makes frequent guest-speaker appearances.
Robert Ampt also appears regularly with his wife, Sydney University Organist Amy Johansen, performing organ duets and special presentations introducing children to the pipe organ. They have appeared together at many significant venues including the Town Halls of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide in Australia, and at Balboa Park and Methuen in the United States.
In 2004 they provided the finale to the concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Ronald Sharp organ in the Sydney Opera House organ and in September 2006 played a full-length live concert on ABC national radio.
He has composed and arranged music for organ, including two childrens introductions to the organ: The Magic Forest and Quest for Organoblast.
In his free time he has restored two old houses, enjoys gardening and performs regularly on the stage with the Brook Community Theatre in the Blue Mountains where he lives.
Robert Ampt has recorded with the ABC, Michael Woodward and Move Records. He has now made three recordings of the Sydney Town Hall Organ.
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Robert Ampt
➼ http://birralee.sydneyorgan.com
➼ www.move.com.au
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