Organists and Organ Playing

Four years already

On Facebook, Steve Iverson of Seattle has been posting historic photos of composer and church musician, Peter Hallock (the Crosiers’ former business partner) in honor of the fourth anniversary of Peter’s death, April 28, 2014. I can’t believe it has been four years already! Some of these pictures are new to me, even though you can see me in the photo.

Compline Choir 8-14-2004
Peter Hallock is waiting to board the boat

The picture above was taken during the 50th anniversary festivities of the Seattle Compline Choir, and as you can see, one of the activities was a boat ride to Tillicum Village where we enjoyed a salmon bake. You can easily find me in the front row wearing a black blouse and green culottes, and Carl Crosier is to the left. Peter Hallock is behind Carl, in the dark blue shirt.

Steve also took a photo of Peter while we were waiting to board the boat.

The Compline Choir were featured artists at the 1979 Far West Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists—that took place here in Hawaii! You see, Carl was the Program Chair of that convention, and I was the General Chair, and we invited Peter to take part in the convention schedule. Peter in turn asked if the Compline Choir could come too—and I’ll never forget his response:

Peter’s response to the invitation to come to Hawaii

Steve posted the only group picture of the Compline Choir taken while in Hawaii.

The Compline Choir Hawaii tour, June 1979

It’s unbelievably sad that many of the men in the picture above have died. I believe only three of the guys are still singing with the choir, but after all, this was 39 years ago! I can identify Joel Matter, Vernon Nicodemus and Ken Peterson who are still in the present day Compline Choir.

Here are some of the posts I wrote at the time Peter died:

In paradisum, Peter Hallock — Announcement of Peter’s death
Peter’s last moments
Tributes pour in
A numinous sendoff — An account of the memorial service
The Hallock legacy in Hawaii — this post was actually written by Carl Crosier and tells the history of how we officially met Peter Hallock in 1978 and how he influenced the music program at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

Dear Peter (and Carl) … we miss you so much!

1 thought on “Four years already

  1. Yes, we miss both!

    I just saw Ken and Vern, both doing really well.

    It’s a wonderful legacy that Peter left.

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