If you are a reader of the Star-Advertiser newspaper, you may have seen my photo of Jordan McCreary in last Saturday’s edition. Yes, it’s time for the 23rd Annual Midsummer Night’s Organ Concert at Central Union Church, next Sunday, August 19th at 4 pm. The concert is a benefit for the scholarship programs of the American Guild of Organists, and was started over 20 years by retired Minister of Music of the Church of the Crossroards, Don Conover.

At the time, Don had a milestone birthday and asked his friends to donate their birthday gifts to him to a scholarship fund which would train new organists. Did you know that organists are in danger of going by way of the dinosaurs? In many churches, even in the big metropolitan areas, it is extremely difficult to find a capable organist substitute. I remember even years ago, local organists had to take busman’s holidays by spending their vacations subbing at other churches.

Thanks to this scholarship, more than 60 students have taken organ lessons in the past twenty years and a number of them have become professional organists. Organists are still in demand for playing church services, weddings and funerals. If you know of someone who might be interested, please download an application here.

This coming Sunday, eight organists will be performing including myself and two of my students. Please support us in our quest to train the next generation of organists!