| Biography | English harpsichordist, Patrick Ayrton, began learning the piano, later moving on to the organ and the harpsichord. He started his musical studies in Switzerland with Francois Demierre. He then studied the organ and church music with Alfred Mitterhofer at the Academy of Music and Figurative Arts in Vienna. Later he specialized in the harpsichord under the guidance of Ton Koopman at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He was a prize-winner at the Paul Hofhaimer competition in Innsbruck (1983) and at the organ competition in Brugge (1985).
Patrick Ayrton has played as a soloist and accompanist with ensembles and orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra, Orlando Vocal Ensemble of Fribourg, London Royal Choral Society and The Brandenburg Consort. In France, he is a regular guest with the Orchestre d'Auvergne, whose musical director, Arie van Beek, encouraged him to develop his conducting skills. Patrick Ayrton has conducted various projects during baroque festivals such as the Otono Musical in Santander, Spain and the Journées Baroques du Château de Grignan, France. |