Tributes are pouring in for our dear friend, Dr. Frederick Swann, who passed away last night. Here’s what was posted on the American Guild of Organists Facebook page: From the Diocese of Orange, California and Christ Cathedral: GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2022) — It is with great sadness that the Diocese of Orange and Christ… Read More RIP Fred Swann
Our upcoming “Dueling Bach” concert is now only a week away and only today did I send off an order for gold organ shoes! You remember that this past summer I bought silver organ shoes to wear for Joey Fala’s wedding and I had them shipped directly to North Carolina, not willing to risk any… Read More The quest for gold … shoes!
In his introduction to the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra concert, President Michael Titterton told us tonight would be “a life-changing experience!” You bet it was! I counted five standing ovations and five curtain calls! Tonight was American Guild of Organists (AGO) Night at the Symphony, with guest artist Cameron Carpenter. Listed in the program were Francis… Read More Five standing ovations and five curtain calls!
During this election season, we’ve heard a lot about stamina and the endurance needed in a presidential candidate. Stamina and endurance are definitely what I need to get through my Bach concert next week! Especially when you consider all those thousands of sixteenth notes that I’ll be playing, I keep thinking of that famous quip in the… Read More An audience of one
The May issue of The Diapason finally arrived, and I eagerly scanned through the pages to find the write-ups about the Class of 2016: 20 leaders under the age of 30. I found what I was looking for starting on page 26. The Diapason’s second annual “20 under 30” selections came from a field that… Read More So unbelievably proud
Even though the use of the organ in some churches is passé, there still seems to be a need for organists in others. And it seems that organists are on their way of going the way of the dodo bird, or the dinosaur. So when an organist goes on vacation, or needs to have surgery,… Read More Desperately. Seeking. Organists!
Exactly one week ago, Carl and I flew to Maui, where I performed a recital on the newly-restored Oberlinger organ at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Kula. You must understand that Kula is a teeny-tiny town on the slopes of Haleakala (upcountry), far away from the tourist towns of Kihei and Lahaina. You have to… Read More They raised the roof!
As some of you know, I will be one of the workshop presenters at the Region IX Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Bakersfield, CA, June 24-26, 2013. My topic will be “Teaching Little Fingers to Play the Organ,” and will address the special challenges of teaching children with no prior keyboard experience. On… Read More Performing in the golden years
I realize that when I wrote the last post, I didn’t clarify some of the details about the continuo organ at LCH at the first service I ever played here. It was the OTHER continuo organ, also called a positiv or positive, which the church purchased as an interim instrument when they decided to replace… Read More The Beckerath positiv organ