The call from the church administrator came about 6 pm on Thursday night. As soon as the caller ID showed up, I knew I was going to be asked to play the organ: Kathy, I know it’s late, but can you play for a Tongan funeral tomorrow at 1 pm? In case you don’t know,… Read More A Tongan funeral
[Apologies! My original post stated May 4th! That is because I heard so many ‘May the Fourth be with you’ jokes today!] This Sunday, May 7th, is Good Shepherd Sunday and is so named because of the Gospel reading of the day—the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life… Read More Good Shepherd Sunday
For me, it wasn’t Easter until I was able to play the Easter hymn, “Jesus Christ is risen today,” which didn’t happen until Easter Tuesday when I played the Easter Eucharist for the St. Andrew’s Schools. I sang the hymn when I attended Easter Day mass at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church to hear my organ student,… Read More Easter Tuesday
Yes, after four days away from Hawaii, I’m definitely back to work—practicing my Bach concert, of course, but I now have some added responsibilities. For the last two Tuesdays, I have been playing chapel services for the St. Andrew’s Schools. When John Renke resigned from St. Andrew’s Cathedral earlier in the month, he also resigned… Read More Bach to work!
I know it’s been awhile since I have written a post on this blog, and it is because I’m up to my eyeballs getting ready for my trip to Connecticut next week. I am going to hear Joey Fala play the first of his four graduate organ recitals at Yale. By “getting ready,” I mean that I’ve spent… Read More Cheese contrafacta
Today I was the guest organist at Kilohana Methodist Church, and when I walked in, I felt like I was walking into a lion’s den. You see, it has been just about forty years that I’ve played a service in a non-liturgical church. I was organist/director at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church when I moved to… Read More Into the lion’s den
The other day when I was asked about what music I play for funerals, my first reaction was to say that no “one size fits all.” That is to say, that I try to fit the music to the person who has died. I ask how old the person was, and what type of faith… Read More No “one size fits all”
Last Saturday, while we were sitting at breakfast, I got a phone call. “Kathy, I know this is last-minute, but can you play for me tomorrow?” It was Grant Mack, organist of St. Theresa’s Co-Cathedral. You may remember that it was over two years ago that we performed the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 in this… Read More My first substituting gig
Today, November 1st, is All Saints Day, but at LCH we will move the feast to Sunday, November 6th, making it All Saints Sunday. Last week, Miguel Felipe and I did a switcheroo for the 8 am service. When I would have normally played the Hymn Mass for Reformation, Miguel played piano for the Alleluia… Read More Wood, Dupré and Bach for All Saints