Would you believe that there’s a Wikipedia entry for “Say cheese,” the phrase that is uttered to make one smile for the camera? What’s more interesting, though, is what is said in other countries. Here are some of my favorites: In China, the word used is 茄子 (qie2zi), meaning “eggplant“. The pronunciation of this word is… Read More Say “Cheese”!
Yesterday the death of 86-year-old choral conductor, Paul Salamunovich, was announced by his son and the tributes are pouring in. The Los Angeles Times called him “Grammy-nominated … who helped shape the Los Angeles Master Chorale into one of the world’s finest choirs.” Click here to read the extensive obituary by Times writer Randy Lewis… Read More A choral giant
This past weekend was a highpoint for the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists: we hosted Michael Crisostomo Hey for the Ninth Annual Organ Concert and were treated to a dazzling display of virtuosity. As I was listening to him play, wave after wave of “chills” came over me. I was so impressed… Read More Dazzling display of virtuosity
It was nine years ago that I recommended to the local American Guild of Organists Executive Board that we bring Paul Jacobs, the youngest head of the Juilliard School Organ Department, to Hawaii to give a recital. I had heard him play several times, but it was his performance in New York at the Association of Lutheran… Read More Michael Hey, Concert Organist
Yesterday we were in Tacoma, WA, and took in an all-Bach organ recital at Christ Episcopal Church, where we heard Tomoko Miyamoto from Ferris University in Yokohama, Japan, play selections from Bach’s Clavierübung III, the German organ mass. The tracker organ is by John Brombaugh and is in a lovely acoustic. We found out about the concert through… Read More Bach in Tacoma
From the weekly newsletter of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church: This week’s column is a reproduction of an address Father Lillie preached last Sunday afternoon at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Honolulu. The officers of the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists were installed at the 5:30 pm Choral Evensong. The Diocesan Choir offered beautiful music… Read More Ye holy angels bright
We have been back in Hawaii not quite two days and I have been hitting the ground running in the ramp-up to my Bach concerts on August 18 and 25. I have not yet been able to get to the organ yet since I had my monthly eye injection yesterday. But now the real work… Read More Hitting the ground running
I just heard from former organ student Joey Fala, and am super-proud to announce that he took second place in the Region I and II Regional Competition for Young Organists! Although he was a teeny bit disappointed that he didn’t place first, I think it is remarkable that he went up against students from Juilliard,… Read More Update on Joey Fala
I happened to be sitting next to Hyunju Hwang, the virtuoso Korean organist, at the post-convention recital by Dorothy Young Riess, and when I told her Dorothy was 81, she said, “No! She looks like she’s maybe 60!” Dorothy played a most ambitious program at Olive Drive Church, another mega-church complex here in Bakersfield, and… Read More My favorite things
This morning began early with a Dean’s meeting at 7:00 am, and although I’m not the Dean of the Hawaii American Guild of Organists, I was sent by the chapter to represent them since I am the only person from Hawaii at this Region IX Convention. It seems that getting young people interested in the… Read More Introducing the organ to children