One of the best programs of the convention so far…
Powerful performance …
Strong sense of driving rhythm …
My favorite concert of the convention!

These were some of the comments I heard from audience members after former student Joey Fala’s performance at the First Church of Christ Scientist in Berkeley today. And all day, people from the convention came up to me with words of congratulation. The truth of the matter is, Joey needs to get all the credit for playing an absolutely masterful concert today. I’ve never heard him play so well as today!

I was the first one to enter the church, and I heard Joey practicing. I called out his name, and he came downstairs and we greeted each other. He was a little concerned, because one of the reed pipes was sounding way off, as much as a third. Hopefully, I said, there was an organ technician on the premises to fix it, and fortunately there was.

Here are some photos of the interior of the church:

Here was the program:

Sarabande for the Morning of Easter (Herbert Howells)
Sweet Hour of Prayer (William Bolcom)
Taiwanese Suite (Chelsea Chen)
Light Within (Jack Langdon)
In Memory — H. H. L. (Dan Locklair)
Introduction and Passacaglia (Josef Rheinberger)

It was a wonderfully varied program, easy to listen to, but definitely showed off his keyboard facility. After all the dissonance of the night before, it was definitely audience-friendly and the crowd rewarded him with a much-deserved standing ovation. His playing was flawless, his technique clean, and his registrations were elegant and colorful! (And I’m not prejudiced!)

My first reaction when seeing Joey after the concert: Oh, WOWWWW! Joey!

I was so happy to see that Joey’s parents, Joe and Patsy Fala, came from Hawaii, and brother Matthew came from Seattle.

When I saw Katelyn Emerson tonight at the reception, she told me all day people were talking about Joey’s performance.

We are sooooo proud!