Out of the many compliments I received for my concert, I was especially honored to receive this one from Beebe Freitas, one of the most respected musicians in Honolulu, and one of the few to be designated a Living Treasure of Hawaii. I have known Beebe nearly all the 40 years I have lived in… Read More A mountaintop experience
It was Carl Crosier’s idea that I play Bach’s monumental six-voice chorale motet, Aus tiefer Not from the Clavierübung, Part III as the encore for my first Great Eighteen Chorales concert. In previous posts, I mentioned that this is one of my favorite pieces, and one that I wanted played at my funeral. “But Kathy,… Read More A cool encore
“I can’t believe this many people would come to an organ recital!” was a comment I heard over and over at yesterday’s first in a two-part mini-series featuring the Great Eighteen Chorales. “I guess people are just starved for Bach” was another comment. For whatever reason, there was absolutely a full house for Bach MasterWorks:… Read More SRO: A full house for Bach
Today was the one and only rehearsal with the Bach Chamber Choir, the ensemble which will sing the four-part chorales in front of each chorale setting of the Great Eighteen Chorales. Tomorrow is the Big Day! We will arrive at the church at noon to turn the church into a concert hall by turning the… Read More Ready for Bach
The line between order and disorder lies in logistics (Sun Tzu) My Bach concerts are only two days away, and I AM READY! Postcards printed and mailed – Check! News releases distributed – Check! Interviews with media – Check! Tickets printed and pre-orders inserted into envelopes – Check! Volunteers recruited to move pews, sell tickets… Read More Logistics
When I opened up the newspaper today, I turned to the TGIF section, where I hoped there would be something about my concert this weekend. Indeed, on page 2, there was my picture and the headline, “Veteran organist tackles daunting Bach chorales.” You know, I didn’t know that story about Bach scaring off the competition… Read More You learn something new every day
While I am off practicing, my local consultant felt compelled to write in my absence. Although I have been quoted in several of Kathy’s blog posts, this will be the first time I have actually written one myself. For the regular readers of this blog, you probably have already surmised that the upcoming Bach recitals… Read More A labor of love
Today I was the substitute organist at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, filling in for Karl Bachman. I came to the church on Friday to familiarize myself with the organ and to set up my pistons. As you know from a previous post, I more or less set up the pistons the same way, no matter… Read More Panic time
Our late friend and colleague, John McCreary, retired from St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Iolani School, used to lament the typically poor attendance at organ recitals. He’d say something like, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, let there be an organ recital!” (or something like that!), a take-off on the Matthew 18:20 text:… Read More Where two or three are gathered . . . NOT!
This week I will be substituting at a Sunday service and funeral at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on University Avenue. Karl Bachman, their music director and organist, is visiting family on the mainland and asked that I play some of the selections from Bach’s Great Eighteen Chorales for the prelude and postlude. Sure, I’ll be happy to… Read More Another week, another organ