Pastór de Lasala - Biography

Born in Sydney in 1958, Pastór de Lasala was educated by the Jesuit Fathers at St Aloysius College and then at the University of Sydney where he completed his tertiary studies, majoring in French, Latin and Music.

He studied organ with Norman Johnston. He has served on the Committee of the Organ Society of Sydney, as secretary and as Deputy President.

Taking an active interest in the wealth of 19th Century English organs in Australia, he presently serves as a Director on the NSW Committee of Council of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia (OHTA).

Pastór has given a number of organ recitals around Sydney and has broadcast with radio station 2MBS-FM on a number of occasions.

Pastór playing the pre-restored Puget organ in the Chapel

Pastór visits France annually and has played a wide range of French instruments from the 17th - 20th including such instruments at St Maximin-en-Provence, , the châteaux of Versailles and Fontainebleau, the cathedrals of Orléans, Bourges, Poitiers and Strasbourg.

• In July 2004 he gave a recital at Notre-dame Cathedral, Paris. This honour has been given to only a few Australian organists.
• In May 2005 he performed on the famous 1774 Isnard organ at St-Maximin-en-Provence.
• In 2006 he gave a recital at the Basilica of St Nazaire-St-Celse in the mediaeval city of Carcassonne.
• In July 2007 he gave a recital in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Victoire whose resident organist is Michel Colin, the Consultant for the 1890 Puget restoration at Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart, Sydney. Pastor is the Assistant Consultant for this same project.
  

Apart from the organ, Pastór plays the harpsichord and clavichord and has made a number of radio recordings on this latter instrument. He has recorded three CDs, most notably the organ at SS Peter and Paul, Goulburn, and at Sacred Heart Mosman which houses the organ in the first St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Goulburn. He has been organist at Sacred Heart Church since 1979. Pastor has published quite a number of musical editions, most notably, the first complete modern edition of the six organ concertos of Michel Corrette which he subsequently recorded as his third CD in the Chapel of St Aloysius’ College.

Email contact: <tormus@tpg.com.au>

You can view some of Pastór’s performances at the following sites -
Pastór de Lasala plays the 17th century organ at the
Basilica of St Nazaire-St Celse Carcassonne
Bach - Largo from Trio the 5th Sonata
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bH5-LFLcqw>

Bach - Canzona in D Minor
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K2Al_IQbpU>