Early Music, Early Music Hawaii, Organists and Organ Playing

Rome 1600—A grand spectacle!

Tonight was Early Music Hawaii’s dress rehearsal for tomorrow night’s concert: Rome 1600! The Glories of the Italian Baroque. The concert features the Early Music Hawaii Ensemble of Singers and Players, conducted by Scott Fikse. The great dramas of early Baroque Rome were the Oratorios—operatic illustrations of biblical stories, the lives of martyrs or principles… Read More Rome 1600—A grand spectacle!

Organists and Organ Playing

Caroline. WOW!

This was the text message I received last night from Shane Morris Wise after Caroline Robinson‘s organ concert at All Saints Episcopal Church in Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i. Caroline is here in Hawaii as the recitalist for the Hawaii Chapter American Guild of Organists Annual Organ Concerts, a series which was started in 2006 with the concert… Read More Caroline. WOW!

Organists and Organ Playing

Keeping up with Joey

On my Hawaii Public Radio interview today, somehow the name of Joey Fala came up, my former organ student, as I explained how public radio supports and endorses non-profit groups such as the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and Early Music Hawaii (EMH) by publicizing their events. You see, we sponsor one organ concert per year and every time, we… Read More Keeping up with Joey

Organists and Organ Playing

A taste of heaven

When I got into the car this morning, of course public radio came on, and I immediately recognized the music. It was Olivier Messiaen’s Alleluias sereins d’une ame qui desire le ciel (Serene alleluias from a soul who desires heaven) from his Ascension Suite for organ, although the performance was done in an orchestrated version. And then guess what… Read More A taste of heaven

Organists and Organ Playing

Full court press!

Okay, you probably didn’t know that I knew this term from basketball? According to Wikipedia, “A full-court press is a basketball term for a defensive style in which the defense applies man-to-man or zone defense to pressure the offensive team the entire length of the court before and after the inbound pass. Some presses attempt… Read More Full court press!