Four Hands / Four Feet (Recorded live at the Dunedin Town Hall)

"This is quite a winning disc even if the arrangements cannot be as nimble on their toes as the orchestral originals. In this they continue a noble 19th and 20th century calling that only bloodless purists will object to. As for the rest of you who crave a mix of stunning pops, stunningly recorded and leavened with the saccharine Guilmant (I love his organ symphonies), the brutally romantic Merkel and the cheery original Bourgeois, look no further."
(MusicWeb Sept 2007)

Max and Nicholas gave their first organ duet recital together at Wellington Cathedral in May 2004. Initially an experiment, the success of this recital has led to numerous further performances. They have now given recitals at most major venues throughout New Zealand and Australia including Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney. In 2008 Max and Nick will be touring throughout Australia, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the UK with a further tour of the USA planned for 2009.

Born in Huddersfield, England, Max Kenworthy has performed recitals throughout the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and has undertaken recordings, broadcasts and tours in organ, piano, conducting and singing.

Max arrived in New Zealand in October 2002 to take up the position of Assistant Organist at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Since then he has given solo recitals around the country and has also performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Wellington Sinfonia, The Tudor Consort, Musica Sacra, the Orpheus Choir, the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band and New Zealand's premiere contemporary music ensemble, Stroma. In addition to his performing, Max has frequently conducted the Cathedral's four choirs as well as Wellington-based chamber choir Cantoris. He is featured on the CD 'Favourite Hymns; Cathedral Classics' and has recently recorded his first solo organ disc, 'organum maximum'. As a pianist, Max is working on The Jazz-Tempered Clavier Project - a jazz interpretation of J.S. Bach's Well-tempered Clavier with his jazz group the jazz-tempered trio.

Max began his musical career as a chorister at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. He started learning the organ at Bradford Grammar School before a year as Organ Scholar at Rochester Cathedral where he studied with Roger Sayer. Max then won an organ scholarship to Brasenose College, Oxford, studying with David Goode.

After leaving Oxford Max was appointed Assistant Organist at Hampstead Parish Church and subsequently Organist at St. Mary's Church, Barnes, London. He continued to study organ with Jeremy Filsell while also teaching piano and organ at The London Oratory School and Latymer Upper School. He is still much in demand as a teacher, and having tutored at St. Mark's Church School and Queen Margaret College in Wellington, now only teaches privately.

At the forefront of the younger generation of Concert Organists in New Zealand, Nicholas Grigsby maintains a busy schedule performing at prestigious venues around the world.
This has included Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St. Paul's Cathedral, London, cathedrals and concert halls throughout Britain, France, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Australia, Asia Pacific and the U.S.A., including Washington National Cathedral.

His teachers in organ & improvisation have included Peter Wright at Southwark Cathedral UK, Colin Walsh, Organist Laureate at Lincoln Cathedral UK and Louis Thiry, Professor at the National Conservatory in Rouen, France, (himself a former pupil of the late André Marchal).

Nicholas completed his Master of Music degree in Organ & Harpsichord with Dr. Rachael Griffiths-Hughes and has recently commenced doctoral research into: The Lutheran Chorale set in Variation Form - A Study of source, context, genre, textural interpretation, and compositional procedure in the music of J.S. Bach (1685-1750), toward the degree of PhD.

Based in New Zealand, Nicholas broadcasts regularly on National Radio Concert, presenting Pressing On & Composer of the Week.

He has also produced programmes either as a performer or broadcaster for the BBC in the UK, Sky TV and U.S. networks.

He is Artistic Director of the Wanganui Festival of Organ Music from the chapel of the Collegiate School, with twelve recitals annually featuring top N.Z. artists, visiting celebrity performers and himself, making it the countries' premier celebration of organ music.
In 2004 Nicholas was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He also holds the M.Mus degree with First Class Honours in Organ & Harpsichord Performance, the B.Mus. degree with Honours, is a Licentiate of Trinity College London in Organ Performance and an Associate of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers of New Zealand.
Nicholas also holds the Diploma with High Honours in Organ Performance from the St. Cecilia School of Music of Australia & NZ, for whom in 2007 he will become a Visiting Examiner. He has also recently become coordinator of the panel of advisors, Visiting Organists to N.Z. Scheme, reporting to the New Zealand Association of Organists