Martin Stacey, AFNOM Festival Director, writes about the 2006 Festival

"It gives me great pleasure to report that the first series of exhibition-concerts held in London during October 2006 was a great success! The Annual Festival of New Organ Music is fast becoming established as a ‘shop-window’ for presenting exciting new music. Composers of any age, nationality and stylistic background are invited to submit their compositions - selected works are then performed, heard in public, discussed and sold.

"The public discussions during the festival are a platform for exchanging ideas between musicians and their audience, and encourage further interest in the mechanics of composition. Performers have an opportunity to meet and work with the composers whose music they are playing.

"The works featured in 2006 showed the high overall quality and variety of contemporary styles available to the modern organist. Whilst demonstrating an awareness of tradition and the capabilities of the instrument, these works also shine a light towards the future and its possibilities.

"The festival is an environment where new connections can be made, friendships formed and new works brought to life. By succeeding in this, the festival is achieving one of its main objectives: to increase the overall awareness and appreciation of good modern organ music. Read about the composers, works and performers included in the October 2006 festival.