I am in Washington as I write this … it’s the morning of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the Lutheran Church of Honolulu’s chosen candidate for Director of Music and Organist has just announced it on Facebook:

Sometimes, life is very clear that it is time to move on. This felt right and a new opportunity arose in a place that Steve and I love. We will be moving to Hawaii!

I will be the Director of Music and Liturgy/Organist at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, beginning November 1st. I look forward to the new opportunities to come and the beautiful music to be made with a wonderful people of faith in a most amazing place!

Actually I knew about Barry before he even applied for the job through my friend, Jieun Kim Newland, who met Barry in Kansas City. Here’s a photo of Jieun with Barry and Steve in their visit to Honolulu in 2019.

The church brought Barry to Honolulu for an interview and audition in August. I came to the Meet and Greet, showed Barry the little pipe organ in my apartment, and went out to a Thai dinner with several friends in the parish.

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The church made it official a couple of weeks ago. It’s been DECADES since the positions of Organist and Choirmaster have been combined, probably not since the days of Erich Kahl from 1906-1957.

I look forward to Barry’s arrival, although I will be in Europe when he moves to Honolulu in late October!