Montreal: The Canadian Organ Competition is back

Winners of the CIOC

"The CIOC is much more than a competition” says Jean-Willy Kunz, Artistic Director of the Canadian International Organ Competition. Besides the regular competition rounds, there are a multitude of other events to present and promote the queen of instruments. "

Organs are inseparable from the place they are built in. There is really a connection between music and architecture. Organizing concerts in so many different places allows the public to take a totally different look at our churches, to become kind of music tourists…” But how do you reach people who might be reluctant to enter a church in the first place? During the pandemic, the organizers of the competition came up with the idea to build a "Bach-mobile", a digital organ mounted on a trailer that can be transported anywhere. Taking the organ out of the church has been a huge success and has helped to promote the competition, and to create new audiences.