I am in Washington as I write this … it’s the morning of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the Lutheran Church of Honolulu’s chosen candidate for Director of Music and Organist has just announced it on Facebook: Sometimes, life is very clear that it is time to move on. This felt right and a new opportunity… Read More Moving on
When last week the Lutheran Church of Honolulu brought a candidate to Hawaii to audition for the job of Music Director and Organist, I thought back to the three church jobs I’ve had since moving here: Church of the Holy Nativity, 1973-1976Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1978-2012Nuuanu Congregational Church, 2020-present Would you believe that I never… Read More The organist’s audition
“A previous commitment …” That’s what our former business partner, Peter Hallock used to call Thursday night choir rehearsals. “if you are invited to a dinner, or a party on a Thursday night, tell them you have a previous commitment.” For years, in fact, for decades, my Thursday nights were committed to rehearsing with the… Read More A previous commitment
Yesterday was the halfway point, otherwise a Transition Day in our organ festival, “Celebrating the Pipe Organ in Hawaii.” It meant saying goodbye to Katelyn Emerson and her mom, Sue, as they flew to Lihue, Kaua‘i, for Katelyn’s upcoming concert at All Saints Episcopal Church, March 19. We then greeted Alcee Chriss and look forward… Read More Hello and goodbye
This morning Katelyn Emerson and I woke up early to get ready for a class she was going to be teaching at nearby St. Andrew’s Schools—a demonstration of the Aeolian-Skinner organ at St. Andrew’s Cathedral for the girls in the Lower School Choir. You’ll know from my previous posts that the organ is in bad… Read More Ambassador for the organ
Just about eleven years ago, I wrote this post on March 26, 2011: … it was in 1971 that the church decided to commit itself to a music program that would make LCH a center for sacred music and a venue for classical music concerts. It was then that the decision to purchase the Beckerath… Read More A turning point
This photo which I posted on Facebook yesterday has already gotten over a hundred likes! The Hawaii Chapter AGO will be presenting a Mini Organ Festival from March 12-21, 2022. Featured will be Alcée Chriss and Katelyn Emerson playing the Rosales Organ at All Saints Kapa’a and the Aeolian-Skinner Organ at Central Union Church. In… Read More Mini Organ Festival
The following is reprinted from the current issue of In Tempo, the quarterly magazine of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. I actually wrote the article months ago, but it was not published until now. Fiasco!The worst musical debacles and lessons learned “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer… Read More Fiasco! Lessons in Laughter
It has now been one week of self-isolation and it being a beautiful day, I decided to escape the confines of my apartment to take a walk. As I walked past St. Andrew’s Cathedral, I was struck by the sight of absolutely no cars in the parking lot, something I have never seen before, especially… Read More Sunday morning and COVID-19
Last Thursday, my sister, Doris Au MacDonald and her musical partner, Sharon Dennis, (aka The Braeded Chord) arrived for a 12-day concert tour in Hawaii. I can hardly believe that it has been ten years since their last tour here—it was at that time they introduced the Alleluia Mass setting of the communion service to the congregation… Read More The Braeded Chord in Hawaii week