If indeed the period between Halloween and Christmas is called the season of excess, I’ve got it in spades! As you may have learned, I have two completely different church positions, taking up much of my waking hours. Let me share with you what parts of the service I play on the organ:

Nu‘uanu Congregational Church – 9:00 Worship Service (Communion on 1st Sundays)
Prelude
Opening Hymn
Organ introit
Hymn of Preparation
Hymn of Response
Offertory
Doxology
Closing Hymn
Postlude

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church – 11 am Solemn High Mass
Prelude
Opening Hymn
Asperges me
Introit
Kyrie (if not sung by the choir)
Gloria (except not in Advent)
Psalm improvisation
Organ interlude before Alleluia
Organ interlude following Gospel
Nicene Creed
Offertory (if not sung by the choir)
Sanctus and Benedictus (if not sung by the choir)
Agnus Dei (if not sung by the choir)
Music during the distribution
Communion Hymn
Closing Hymn
Angelus
Postlude

As you can tell by the above, I play the majority of the service, which is not unusual in an Anglo-Catholic parish. I also play for Vespers and Benediction every Sunday afternoon at 4 pm. My organ responsibilities are playing:

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church – 4 pm Vespers and Benediction
Hymn (following the Canticle)
Magnificat
Hymn at the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Tantum Ergo
Organ voluntary during the Blessed Sacrament
Closing Hymn
Postlude

Now, to add to my weekly responsibilities, I’ll be giving a concert with the Kauai Chorale on December 16th, a little over two weeks away!

There are fifteen pieces on the concert, six of which are audience carols, two organ duets, a duet with organ and viola, and one solo organ piece, “Dieu parmi nous” by Olivier Messiaen. But guess what — I’m playing the organ on every single piece in the concert, some of which are technically challenging.

The program includes:

Holiday Carol Sing Featuring:
Katherine Crosier, Organ
Karen Hall, Cello
Ron Morinishi, Trumpet
Lizbeth Smith, Flute
Daniel Welch, Viola & Organ

1. Audience: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (Prichard, HYFRYDOL Arr. by Dan Forrest)
2. Audience: O Come All Ye Faithful (Attr. Wade, ADESTE FIDELES – Setting by Carl and
   Katherine Crosier)
3. Light The Advent Candle Organ (Davenport, Arr. Wagner)
4. Organ Duet: For Unto Us A Child Is Born (Handel, Arr. by Christina Harman)
5. Lift Up Your Heads (Psalm 24:7, Kampen)
6. Dieu Parmi Nous (Messiaen)
7. Audience: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (Sears, CAROL – Willis)
8. Blest Be The Star (BROKEN BAY, Willcock)
9. Audience: The First Nowell (Traditional)
10. Carol Of The Magi (Rutter)
11. Audience: Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (Brooks, ST. LOUIS – Redner)
12. Three Meditations for Viola and Organ: Christmas (Hailstork)
13. Carol For A New Year (Tennyson, Helvey)
14. Audience: Joy To The World (Watts, ANTIOCH)
    Nativity Suite, No. 5 Joy to the World (Held)
15. Organ Duet and Chorale: Hallelujah Chorus (Handel, Arr. by Mark Thewes and Ennis
    Fruhauf

TOO MANY NOTES!

But, wait, there’s more! One week from now is my condo’s annual Christmas party. In addition to my creating the posters, tickets, website registration form, soliciting volunteers to deliver meals, shopping for Christmas presents for the children, arranging for an appearance of Santa and guest musicians, the committee this year is additionally challenged by the sheer numbers. At this point, we have nearly 500 reservations for the party, and as you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking for our committee of 3 persons! Can you imagine the logistics involved in hosting a party for 500 people! Thank goodness, my good friends Mark Russell (yes, the pianist and harpsichordist) and Kelly Brehm are on the committee and we’ll cross our fingers that everything will go well.

TOO MUCH!