The Hawai’i Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is pleased to sponsor Joseph Fala in his recital at the AGO 2019 West Region Convention. From the time he was in Elementary School, the Hawai’i Chapter has encouraged, supported, and loved him into being the musician he is today; and wish him every success for this concert and the future. We are especially proud that, as a Hawai’i native, Joseph is the first person from the 50th State to become a national concert artist in organ performance.

[I’m almost positive that when we submitted this paragraph, we had referred to him as Joey! However, as printed in the program book, he was Joseph! As Thomas Murray told him, “You can’t be a concert organist with the name of Joey!” or something like that!]

So people read in the program about Joey Fala, who was an absolutely smashing success in his concert at the Orange County AGO convention. He opened with the Sinfonia from Cantata 29 by Bach (transcribed by Marcel Dupré), followed by an exquisite rendition of “Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele,” and a stunning performance of the Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543. So far, this is the only Bach we have heard at the convention and people were very appreciative, which has compared to the mostly contemporary repertoire heard so far.

Joey then played Paul Hindemith’s Sonata III built on German folksongs, the “Cantilène” from the Suite Brève by Jean Langlais, and ended with the virtuosic “Cinq versets sur le Victimae Paschali” by Thierry Escaich. What a program! (Can’t you tell I’m biased!)

The program brought the audience to their feet in a rousing standing ovation and so everyone in Hawaii should be absolutely bursting their buttons with pride for our hometown boy.

What I was so pleased with was that Joey used the Reuter organ in such a colorful way, and really brought out all the tonal resources of the Reuter organ. Quite a few people came up to Joey after the concert to congratulate him, and then when we boarded the bus, people applauded!

Joey, you make us so proud!

After a dinner break, the convention heard the most extraordinary concert called “Six Hands, Six Feet, One Bench” with Cherry Rhodes, James Walker, and Weicheng Zhao. They played duets and trios  by Sergei Prokofiev, Rayner Brown, Joseph Jongen, Claude Debussy, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach and ended the program with The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky on the Aeolian-Skinner organ at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Long Beach. The incredible ensemble was absolutely stunning and the fabulous technique displayed was such a treat!