With a twinkle in his eye and joy in his heart… that’s how I remember Sam Hammond, the longtime carillonneur of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, who died at age 73 on Thursday. The notice of his death made the national news and was sent to me today, “Man who played Duke Chapel bells… Read More With a twinkle in his eye …
This morning I was contacted by Linda Borecki, the editor of In Tempo, the quarterly journal of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. She asked if I might contribute an article in a new series called “Fiasco! The Worst Musical Debacles and Lessons Learned from Great Musicians.” Apparently she had found this blog and wrote:… Read More Fiasco!
Imagine my relief when I opened this morning’s newspaper to read the headline: “TIER 3 ON THURSDAY,” saying that Oahu residents will be able to have larger gatherings starting on Thursday, due to the drop in coronavirus cases. The latest 7-day average of new cases has remained below 50 for two weeks and under a… Read More Turning point
There was a complaint, today, on the American Guild of Organists Facebook page, about the extra amount of work it requires for an organist to play for a Zoom service compared to an in-person gathering. After almost a year with zoom church services, I finally realized that I am doing three times the work of… Read More Zoom organists
With all the recent news about the extreme winter weather over most of the United States, delivering heavy snowfall and icy conditions in places as far south as Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, we in Hawaii have to be grateful that we live in a place where our local weatherman calls it “the best weather on… Read More Cold hands, cold feet!
Recently I changed my Facebook cover photo to the little organ in my condo, and it raised a bunch of questions about the instrument. In the comments section, I answered by reposting the link to “Birch, cherry, and plum,” to which a friend replied: Shane Morris Wise I love how you posted “blog” answers to… Read More The organ vs. the piano
I have never been to New Orleans, but I do know it is world-famous for its Mardi Gras, parades, and general revelry in the weekend before Lent. This morning I just read an article in The Washington Post, “Mardi Gras is canceled, so residents are making their homes into floats: ‘New Orleans doesn’t know how… Read More Pull out all the stops!
Today is February 14, Valentine’s Day, but in my mind it’s already Lent, even though Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday, February 17. Huh? Did I miss something? I thought Lent BEGINS with Ash Wednesday? Well, yes it does, but for me, I have already recorded the organ music for February 21, the first Sunday… Read More It’s Lent, already!
It was five years ago that I posted this article on my Facebook page: A case for the pipe organ. Jonathan Aigner, who posted the original article, made the following points: • It sustains and strengthens congregational singing.• It fills a room naturally. • Its range is massive. • It facilitates a wide range of musical styles.… Read More Why the pipe organ?
How many times have I heard that? It’s true that when people retire, they often think about writing a book about their life’s experiences. Hey, there’s even a book on how to do it! (I have not read this book, so I have no idea whether it’s any good or not!) Well, instead of writing… Read More You ought to write a book!