June 27, 2007
New York City—From June 30–July 5, music lovers will have a special opportunity to attend concerts in NYC venues known for their exceptional organs during the 2007 Region II Convention of the American Guild of Organists. The organists and musicians are world-renowned, and NYC is known as the “The First City of Pipe Organs, From Appleton to Wurlitzer.”
On Sat. June 30, the AGO will hold its own version of “American Idol,” at a young artists’ organ competition to be held at 2 PM at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Madison Ave. & 73rd St. The winner will play a concert at 2 PM on Sunday, July 1, also at MAPC. These concerts are free of charge.
On Sun. July 1 at 4 PM, there will be an Opening Festive Evensong at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, Fifth Ave. & 53rd St. This event will feature music sung by the Gentlemen of the Choir and is free of charge.
On Sun. July 1, at 5:15 PM internationally acclaimed concert organist John Scott will play a concert at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, Fifth Ave. & 53rd St. The program will be: Toccata Settima by Michelangelo Rossi; Prelude and Fugue in G Major, by Johann Sebastian Bach; Toccata, Opus 11, by Sergei Prokoviev; Scherzo, by Marco Enrico Bossi; and Sonata on the 94th Psalm, by Julius Reubke. This concert is free of charge.
On Mon. July 2, at 2 PM, City Organist of Birmingham, England, Thomas Trotter, will play a concert at the Brick Presbyterian Church, Park Ave. & 91st St. The program will be: Fantasia, K. 608 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Three Views from the Oldest House, by Ned Rorem; Deux Fantaisies, by Jehan Alain; Prelude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain, Op. 7 by Maurice Duruflé; and Three movements from “Petrushka,” by Igor Stravinsky. Admission is $20/cash only at the door.
On Mon. July 2 at 4 PM, the “strikingly original” Neos ensemble will present a concert for organ, violin, vibraphone, drums and bass at Christ Church, United Methodist, Park Ave. & 60th St. The program will be: Neos 7, Songs for Annabelle, and Beyond by Matt Curlee; This Night, and When the Sun is Gone, by Nathan Heleine; Photon Clocks, by Jesse Krebs. Admission is $20/cash only at the door.
On Mon. July 2 at 8 PM there will be a Concerto Concert at Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, Park Ave. & 84th St. Featuring James Feddeck, Renée Anne Louprette, & Nancianne Parrella, and the Orchestra of St. Ignatius, direction will be by Kent Tritle. The program will be: Toccata Festiva, Op. 36 by Samuel Barber; Organ Concerto (1985) by Ned Rorem; and Organ Concerto (1992) by Stephen Paulus. Admission is $20/cash only at the door.
On Tues. July 3 at 2 PM there will be a concert by London-based organist Ann Elise Smoot at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, 213 West 82nd St. (between Broadway & Amsterdam). The program will be: Offerte du 5ème ton and Trio en Passacaille by André Raison; Passacaglia in C Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach; Estampie (from the Robertsbridge Codex); Pastorale Drone by George Crumb; Suite by Jehan Alain; and Fête by Jean Langlais. Admission is $20/cash only at the door.
On Tues. July 3 at 4 PM there will be an organ concert by new music advocate Christopher Marks at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, West 99th St. & Amsterdam. The program will be: Fantasia super Komm, heiliger Geist by Johann Sebastian Bach; Nun freut euch lieben Christen g’mein by Dietrich Buxtehude; Baroques by Seth Bingham; My Home in Glory by Libby Larsen; and Fugue à la Gigue by David Johnson. Admission is $20/cash only at the door.
On Tues. July 3 at 8 PM there will be an organ concert by European music specialist Jane Parker-Smith at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, Fifth Ave. & 55th St. The program will be Choral-Improvisation sur le “Victimae Paschali” by Charles Tournemire; Adorazione by Oreste Ravanello; L’Ange à la Trompette by Jacques Charpentier; Scherzo from Organ Symphony in C Minor, Op. 47 by Frederick William Holloway; Sonata Eroïca, Op. 94 by Joseph Jongen; Concertante Study by František Vrána; Theme and Variations, Op. 34 by Joseph Kromolicki; Funérailles by Franz Liszt; and Finale from Symphonie No. 7 in A minor, Op. 42 by Charles-Marie Widor. Admission is $20/cash at door.
On Wed. July 4 at 2 PM there will be an organ concert by leading proponent of new music Stephen Tharp at The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 145 West 46th St. (between 6th & 7th Aves.). The program will be Easter Fanfares by Stephen Tharp; Dryden Liturgical Suite, Op. 144 by Vincent Persichetti; Prelude and Fugue in C major, Op. 13 by Jeanne Demessieux; Symphonie No. 5, Op. 47 by Louis Vierne; and Toccata Labyrinth by David Briggs. Admission is $20/cash at the door.
On Thurs. July 5 at 10 AM The Young People’s Chorus of New York City (Francisco J. Núñez, Founder and Artistic Director) at the Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer, Lexington Ave. & 66th St. The program will be: Kayama by Karl Jenkins; Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré; O Sacrum Convivium by Francisco J. Núñez; The Taxi by Tarik O’Regan; Kadiq by Francisco J. Núñez; Small Red Tree from “A Child’s War” by Derek Bermel; Three Heaven and Hells by Meredith Monk; Singing This Piece by Bruce Adolph; Hold On arr. Clifton A. Noble; Si Tu Sueñas by Francisco J. Núñez and Jim Papoulis; Heaven Bound Train arr. by Stephen Hatfield; and Music Down in My Soul by Moses Hogan. Admission is $20/cash at the door.
On Thurs. July 5 at 12 PM renowned Paris-based organist Jon Gillock will play an organ concert at Temple Emanu-El, Fifth Ave. & 65th St. The program will be: Fantaisie en La-Majeur, by César Franck; L’Orgue Mystique III, Op. 55 by Charles Tournemire; excerpts from Livre du Saint Sacrement by Olivier Messiaen; and Choral No. 1 en Mi-Majeur by César Franck.
Public Information about the artists, programs and venues is available at http://www.nycago.org/2007 or by calling (646) 245-2463.
For press reservations or further information, please contact Patt Dale (212) 877-5715 or pattdale@bellatlantic.net.
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, it sets and maintains high musical standards and promotes the understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music. The mission of the AGO is to enrich lives through organ and choral music. The Guild currently serves approximately 19,000 members in more than 300 local chapters throughout the United States and abroad. The American Organist Magazine, the official journal of the AGO and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, reaches an audience of more than 20,000 readers each month.
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.
