On my last day in New Haven, Joey Fala let me into the Woolsey Hall organ practice rooms and I was able to practice before leaving for Honolulu. I did make some progress although my left hand still is not back to normal and I’m thinking I’ll have to consult my doctor about it when I… Read More The richness of the Yale experience
It was another adventure coming home from the Organ Historical Society convention 2015, and because my flight was leaving Boston early in the morning, I decided to leave one day before the convention ended. Lucky for me, I was able to watch the OHS live-webcast of the final concert by Nathan Laube on the organs… Read More Home at last!
On our last afternoon at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists, we returned to the beautiful nave at St. Cecilia’s for a recital of eclectic and most enjoyable music performed by Chelsea Chen. I first met Chelsea many years ago when she was one of the winners of the Region IX competition, and… Read More Already a superstar
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
Our late friend and colleague, John McCreary, retired from St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Iolani School, used to lament the typically poor attendance at organ recitals. He’d say something like, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, let there be an organ recital!” (or something like that!), a take-off on the Matthew 18:20 text:… Read More Where two or three are gathered . . . NOT!
After that last post about getting discombobulated over the page turns in Bach’s Great Eighteen Chorales, some people suggested that I just memorize the music. Dear People, do you know that it is going to take two concerts to play all of this music? That is because I think it would just be too much… Read More Memorization
One of the projects I’m currently working on is a presentation for the next regional convention of the American Guild of Organists, June 24-26 in Bakersfield, CA. If you want to check out their website, click here. One sentence on their home page gave me a ray of hope: There are many outstanding organs in our… Read More Is it over?
and we’ll be celebrating by performing lots of Bach at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu this Holy Week and Easter. There are certain pieces that I play every year, and that includes works by the birthday boy, 327 years young today. On Maundy Thursday, I always play “O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig” (O Lamb of God… Read More It’s Bach’s birthday
The last few days we have had a delightful houseguest, Isabelle Demers, concert organist, who is billed as a “diminutive dynamo” because of her small stature but virtuosic organ playing. She will give an organ recital tomorrow night, June 10th, 7 pm at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. What’s really interesting is to learn her story of… Read More Isabelle Demers, diminutive dynamo