“Nice T-shirt you have on.”
I heard the voice of a young man behind me as I was on my daily 2-1/2 mile walk through downtown Honolulu. He was pushing a stroller with a blond toddler, and caught up with me. I was wearing my T-shirt from the Organ Historical Society—the OHS is a not-for-profit organization primarily composed of pipe organ enthusiasts interested in the instrument’s design, construction, conservation and use in musical performance.
He continued, “I never saw anyone with an organ on a T-shirt!” He explained that he was a trumpeter and had just gotten his master’s degree in trumpet from the University of Oklahoma.
“Oh,” I said, “is that the university in Norman? There is a new pipe organ in Kauai, and an organ professor from the University of Oklahoma played the dedication recital.” (I was thinking of Adam Pajan!)
He then pulled out his phone and showed me a photo he had of an organ from somewhere in Oklahoma. We chatted a few minutes more about people we knew in common, and the American Organ Institute program at the University of Oklahoma, formerly an academic organbuilding program which taught students how to tune and maintain pipe organs. I told him I had gotten my master’s degree in organ from Westminster Choir College.
He told me that he had always wanted to perform music for trumpet and organ, and his teacher, Mark Minasian, suggested that he contact the organist at a church across from Punahou School.
“That’s me! I was the organist of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu for 35 years! My name is Katherine Crosier!”
“Yes! You’re the person I was supposed to contact!”
I told him I had retired from the church but that I still play the organ as a freelancer. Unfortunately he said that he was leaving soon to pursue a doctorate in trumpet at the New England Conservatory of Music.
What if I had been wearing another T-shirt? And even if I had worn any other of my organ T-shirts, none have a picture of an organ on the back. We might never have had a conversation on a sidewalk in Honolulu today!
Sorry, he did tell me his name, but unfortunately I forgot what it was. I guess more people know about organs than I thought. Good luck to him on his musical journey. [UPDATE: His name is Max Ignas. Read the comments below!]
Years ago I was between flights at the Charlotte Airport. As I stood in line at Starbucks carrying a tote from an American Guild Of Organists convention woman behind me said, “Excuse me, but what is an or-GAN-ist? I responded, “We are musicians.” When it registered with her, she looked as though she wished the floor would open up so she could disappear.
Reminds me of the time Carl and I were attending some AGO convention, and someone walked up to us and said, “What’s Ah-go?”
The organ brings out the best in people! jb
Was it Max Ignas? He had a baby just prior to Covid and he studied with Mark Minasian… Look him up on Facebook and see if that was the guy, Kathy…
YES!!! That was him! Gordon, you are brilliant! He graduated from the University of Oklahoma and now lives in Honolulu.
That’s me! Although I got my masters in 2009 so I’m no spring chicken.
This is so cool! I’ve read this blog on and off for a while. Amazing how music makes the world so much more close knit!
Great meeting you today. I grew up here and will hopefully be back to visit my parents. Maybe we can do a program on a future date.
And to think that had I worn a different T-shirt this morning, we might never have talked! Simply amazing.
I would love to do a program together some day.