DEEP PURPLE - LORD CELEBRATES UNIVERSITY BIRTHDAY

Former DEEP PURPLE rocker JON LORD helped to celebrate the 175th birthday of a prestigious English University - by writing a new classical work. The veteran star - and former member of Whitesnake - composed the six-part work Durham Concerto for the celebrations at Durham University on Saturday (20Oct07). He joined the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on the Hammond organ during the hour-long performance at Durham Cathedral, which Lord wrote to represent a day in the historic north-eastern city. Lord quit Deep Purple in 2002 to concentrate on composing classical music.