This afternoon was my turn at Hawaii Public Radio’s semi-annual fund drive, and I deliberately chose a time at which I would normally be listening: Fred Child’s Performance Today. Seems that in my busy schedule, I always seem to be driving around at that hour, and am able to enjoy the live performances which are featured.

According to the Performance Today website:

American Public Media’s Performance Today is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on nearly 300 public radio stations across the country, and reaches approximately 1.4 million listeners each week.

Performance Today features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, as well as in-studio performances and interviews. Also, each week composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical music game, the Piano Puzzler. Performance Today is based at the APM studios in Saint Paul, Minn., but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country.

When I told my friends that it was Tuesday, April 25th, that I would be “pitching,” and trying to encourage people to donate to Hawaii Public Radio, I’m afraid I made a face. That is because I would much rather be playing rather than talking on the radio! You see, it’s something which takes me out of my comfort zone—playing and writing for me are easy, but talking—well, that’s another ball of wax.

I did sign up for a time I knew Ian Capps of The Early Muse and Early Music Hawaii would be hosting, so at least there would be a friendly face to talk to.

And you’ll never guess what Fred Child of Performance Today played during my time slot? Saint-Saëns “Symphony No. 3,” the ‘Organ Symphony,’ performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with Thierry Escaich on the organ! Is that a coincidence or what?

[You can hear the broadcast by going to the Performance Today website]

I was telling the other people at the table that organists are truly a rare breed of musician. In the State of Hawaii, with 1.4 million people, there are only about 12 people who live here who have a degree in organ performance. Let that sink in for a moment. If you do the math, we 12 organists represent only .00000857142857 of the whole population!

That’s almost as rare as Lonesome George (1910-2012), the last surviving Pinta Island tortoise—last of his species!

No, the local folks did not arrange in advance for Fred Child to play organ music, so the fact that he played the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony during my volunteer slot is pretty remarkable, wouldn’t you say?

When I arrived, I was somewhat taken aback at a large confirmation card which was presented to me, listing my name in large letters: Katherine Crosier, Organist and Artistic Director of Early Music Hawaii. The “Organist” part I knew about—but the rest of it is news to me! (I knew I was the Vice-President, but now the Artistic Director, too?)

Hawaii Public Radio is a real community asset in this town, and 30% of its programming is locally-produced, which is a larger percentage than most other public radio stations. Please call in locally at 808-941-3689, or from the mainland or neighbor islands at 1-877-941-3689 or donate online at hawaiipublicradio.org.

If you look at the iPad version of the Hawaii Public Radio app, look who appears at the bottom!

The good news is that in the time I was at the station, we made TWO fundraising goals!

Thank you, Hawaii Public Radio, for what you do for all of us, but especially for us organists in the community!