I admit that I wasn’t too excited to see that the Association of Anglican Musicians had programmed a hymn festival at 9:30 in the morning. At least for me, I generally don’t feel like singing that early in the morning.

However, my skepticism turned to pure joy when I found out who was going to play the organ: Robert McCormick, who had given four improvisation workshops at the American Guild of Organists convention in San Francisco last summer. McCormick studied improvisation with McNeil Robinson and his playing so reminded me of Neil’s — brilliant, virtuosic and sassy!

If you didn’t already know, McNeil Robinson is the person who dedicated the Beckerath organ at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu in three inaugural recitals (1975), all of which I attended. I was also fortunate to receive about twenty hours of lessons with him. Two years later, Neil came back to play my wedding to Carl Crosier.

With solo recitals described as those that “dazzle the ear with technical wizardry, sway the heart with consuming and passionate intensity, and inspire the spirit through music that enlivened the soul,” (Chestnut Hill LOCAL, Pennsylvania) Robert McCormick is widely heralded by his colleagues and deeply admired for his creative and ethereal performance abilities in and master teacher of organ improvisation, commanding, eloquent performances of repertoire of all styles, composer of hymn arrangements, and innovative and imaginative hymn festival leader. He is the newly appointed Organist and Choirmaster of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia.

I found this YouTube video of McCormick improvising on “Lasst uns erfreuen” which you can hear below:

And people responded by singing their lungs out. My friend from the Three Choirs Festival, Rich Arenschieldt, recorded a short snippet of “Lasst uns erfreuen” which you can hear here:

I always say that hymn festivals are an organist’s masterclass on how to play exciting accompaniments and encourage enthusiastic hymn singing.

I was already “sung out” after the hymn festival when we went immediately into a choral reading session of perhaps twenty choral pieces! Then following a conducting masterclass which I found extremely interesting. Three students had their conducting critiqued by a master conductor. I wish some of the conductors I’ve worked with had the benefit of this kind of experience!

The afternoon was spent at the Atlantic Botanical Garden with Clay Logue which was beautiful, but very hot and humid weather made me long for air conditioning and ice cold water. Luckily we had a free night and Jieun Newland and I stayed in and ordered Chinese food!