July 26, 2002

AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS NAMES PRIZEWINNERS IN NATIONAL COMPETITION IN ORGAN IMPROVISATION NEW YORK CITY — The AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS (AGO) is pleased to announce the prizewinners in the NATIONAL COMPETITION IN ORGAN IMPROVISATION (NCOI). Semifinal and final rounds of the 2000–2002 competition were held in Philadelphia, Pa., in conjunction with the AGO National Convention, July 2–6: First Prize PETER EDWIN KRASINSKI $2,000 cash award provided by the Holtkamp Organ Company Second Prize NEIL WESTON $1,500 cash award provided by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Ltd. Third Prize DAVID S. MACFARLANE, AAGO $750 cash award provided by Mary Louise Herrick, AAGO, CHM PETER EDWIN KRASINSKI is organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Providence, R.I., organist at Beth El Temple Center Synagogue in Belmont, Mass., director of choral arts and music at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and conductor of the Medfield Community Chorus. He holds both a bachelor of music degree in music education and organ performance, and a master of sacred music degree from Boston University. In 1998, Mr. Krasinski was the second-prize winner of the NCOI, held in Denver, Colo. He has studied composition and improvisation with Naji Hakim at L’Église de la Sainte-Trinité, interpretation with Marie-Louise Langlais at L’Église Sainte-Clotilde, and has also played and conducted for services at the American Cathedral in Paris. This season, Mr. Krasinski has played piano in the Rainbow Room in New York City for the Stella Adler Theater Studio’s Gala and has shared his organ accompaniment, interpretation, and improvising skills as soloist and with many choral organizations. He conducted a complete performance of The Creation by Haydn, and his students from Beaver County Day School were part of the holiday chorus that sang with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. He can be heard on ARSIS AUDIO playing Benjamin Britten’s cantata The Company of Heaven with the Back Bay Chorale under the direction of Julian Wachner. NEIL WESTON is minister of music at Grace Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, Md. A native of England, he moved to the United States in 2000, after having spent four years as assistant master of the music at Chelmsford Cathedral. At Grace Church, he has established a weekly recital series and greatly expanded the existing music program. In addition to his work at Grace Church, Mr. Weston is regional chairman for Region II of the RSCM in North America, a member of the board of the Potomac (Md.) AGO Chapter, and assistant conductor of the Alexandria Choral Society. He studied at the Universities of Oxford and London, and at the Royal Academy of Music. He also holds diplomas in organ performance and improvisation from the Royal College of Music and the Royal College of Organists. DAVID S. MACFARLANE is director of music and organist for the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City, where he recently oversaw the purchase of a new mechanical-action Létourneau pipe organ. He also founded the Musica Trinitatis concert series and serves as its artistic director. In addition, he is organist for Temple Beth El in Spring Valley, N.Y. He completed his doctoral degree at Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he received the Elizabeth Durham Award for Keyboard Performance. His teachers include David Drinkwater, Gerre Hancock, John Weaver, and Antonius Bittmann. He holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Hartford, and a bachelor’s degree in organ performance from the University of Illinois. Dr. Macfarlane also holds the AGO’s Associate certificate. He is sub-dean of the New York City AGO Chapter. The NATIONAL COMPETITION IN ORGAN IMPROVISATION advances the art of improvisation by recognizing and rewarding superior performers in the field. The 2000– 2002 competition was open to all members, regardless of age, of the AGO or Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO). Five semifinalists were selected from the preliminary, tape round; three were chosen for the final round. For both the semifinal and final rounds, each competitor was required to (1) improvise in any form, based on a given free theme; and (2) improvise in the form of a Theme and Variations based on a given hymn tune, chant, or chorale. Judges for the semifinal and final rounds were Lynn Trapp, Mary Beth Bennett, and Christa Rakich. The AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. Founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization, the AGO seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music. The purpose of the AGO is to promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles, to encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music, and to provide a forum for mutual support, inspiration, education, and certification of Guild members. The Guild currently serves more than 20,000 members in 343 local chapters throughout the United States and abroad. The American Organist Magazine, the official journal of the AGO, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, reaches an audience of more than 24,000 each month. The official Web site of the AGO is <www.agohq.org>. This information is submitted by F. Anthony Thurman, Director of Development and Communications at the National Headquarters of the American Guild of Organists and The American Organist Magazine. For further information, please contact Dr. Thurman by TEL (212) 870-2310, FAX (212) 870-2163 or E-MAIL <fathurman@agohq.org>.