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
The following is the text of Scott Fikse’s farewell address to the congregation. I was secretly thrilled that he included my name! I give thanks to God for leading me and Marcus on a path that brought us to all of you. I’ve told this story to many of you, but when Marcus graduated from… Read More Scott’s farewell
Normally when you hear the term “blockbuster” it’s in connection with a movie, or a show, usually done in the summertime. For example, a Google search for “blockbuster” turns up this: Who’d ever think you would call a church service a “blockbuster?” But “blockbuster” is exactly how I’d describe Scott Fikse’s last service today as… Read More Blockbuster!
Tonight was the dress rehearsal for choir, orchestra and soloists for Scott Fikse’s last service at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu and if I had to sum it up, I would say it was full of glorious exuberance! Dress rehearsals at church, though, are a little different from those you might experience for an opera… Read More Glorious exuberance!
“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
The hard fact about living in Hawaii is having to always say goodbye or aloha to people whom we have grown to treat like family. This summer I’ll have to say goodbye to several musicians—ALL of whom have studied organ with me. I’ve already said goodbye to my former student, Marie Wang, who was the… Read More Always saying ‘Goodbye’
When I haven’t seen people for awhile, generally they ask me two questions: “What are you working on?” “Where are you going on your next trip? Well, I’m glad you asked! I am pleased to tell you that Scott Fikse asked me to play the organ on his last Sunday at the Lutheran Church of… Read More Fingers crossed!
Last night’s “From Venice to Dresden” Early Music Hawaii concert was advertised as music from Heinrich Schütz and his contemporaries, and how they brought the Venetian polychoral music tradition to Germany. What we didn’t advertise, though, was that it was Scott Fikse’s last EMH concert before leaving Hawai’i to attend graduate school at the University… Read More Scott’s farewell concert
It’s Heinrich Schütz week and we’ve already had three rehearsals for Saturday’s concert, “From Venice to Dresden,” May 7 at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu at 7:30 pm. The concert is the last one for the season for Early Music Hawaii, and will be conducted by Scott Fikse. Singers include Honolulu’s finest early music performers,… Read More Miracles
It was already going to be a really busy week. Today, I spent the day teaching on Kauai, and then had an orchestra and choir rehearsal scheduled for tonight, plus two other nights this week in preparation for the Early Music Hawaii concert, “From Venice to Dresden” on Saturday night, May 7th at 7:30 pm.… Read More A hole in my head