news

Summer/Fall - 2009

It's hard to believe it has been 3 years since I updated this site. Let's see if I can recap all that has happened.

Working backwards from today I performed for the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Disney Hall at the end of 2007 and in May of 2008. I was performing for their Christmas Concerts in December and for the All Los Angeles High School Honors Choir Festival in May. Both were HUGE successes and they have asked me to recap each appearance in December 2009 and May 2010.

In April of 2008 I also acquired a church position as Organist in Residence at St. Thomas The Apostle Episcopal Church in Hollywood. Not having a regular position left me with even less to work towards and when that happened I was not as up to par as I need to be as a player. This is the smallest church I have ever worked for and in many ways the most satisfying. Not the least reason is that it is an 'organ only' job. There are no other instruments... ever. Not even brass or timpani at Christmas and Easter. In many ways this is an organists' dream in that everything that happens musically in the service [outside of acapella anthems] is dependent on the organ. Plus there is a lot of room for improvisation and I LOVE to improvise. That being said, I do long for a wider variety of music and sound but I know I am here at this time for a reason. And it is all very good.

In March of 2008 I performed in Canada for the ROYAL CANADIAN COLLEGE OF ORGANISTS - Pro Organo Concert Series. It was a wonderful concert and I got a great review. I have uploaded it here so that you can read it at your leisure. My host was Ross Dixon who worked tirelessly to get me to Canada and I have so much to thank him for. For at least 2 years he was contacting people and organizations to make this happen. Finally it paid off. "THANK YOU ROSS"!!

I also performed at my hosts' church St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. This was a more religious service tied to my concert and I played with the choir, piano and trumpet to a packed house.

Coming up

As I mentioned earlier I will be performing with the Master Chorale at Disney Hall again this Christmas. Details are listed on the Calendar page.

I also have been approached about a national concert tour in early 2010 and will keep you posted about that.

In May 2010 I will reprise my performance with the All High School Choir at Disney Hall and also do a concert at St. Thomas, the date to be decided.

Finally, in June I have been asked by the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Guild of Organists to be one of 6 players celebrating the 100th anniversary of the LA Chapter. We will be performing on the world's largest church pipe organ at 1st Congregational Church, Los Angeles. Again, details are on the calendar page.

I do intend to be timelier in my updates. As life goes on I find a more complex existence. Therefore I need staff!! If anyone wants to come work for me, let me know.

Happy Fall to all!

---

End of Summer - 2006

This year continues to evolve in ways unexpected. I have had two very successful concerts in San Francisco and Phoenix. The one in San Francisco was for an organ company I have not known until now. Viscount Organs [pronounced ‘vye-count'] headquartered in Italy. There is a picture and a write up on their web site. Here is the link:

http://www.viscount.it/classicorgans/news.asp?idcat1=2136160793

Scroll down to ”Prestige 100 concert in San Francisco” and read the review. I received a stellar letter from the producer of the event who is the United States representative. In it he writes: “I can honestly say that I've never heard an organist as exciting as you perform on our product”. And I can certainly live with that! It is our hope that I can do a series of concerts on their instrument around the country and internationally. I will keep you posted as usual.

I continue to travel 400 miles North every few weekends to play at Menlo Park Presbyterian in the San Francisco Bay Area. I also continue to play here in Los Angeles; irregularly because I do not want a steady organ position. It is nice having many Sundays off and not committed to any one particular church.

In that same mindset I have also decided to let the organ naturally evolve without aggressively chasing performances. I've discovered that this “King of Instruments” is no longer the King of it's domain, and is not going to create the financial wherewithal to produce the grand and glorious living I am seeking. As I told my good friend and major organist Bob Plimpton, “you were of the last lineage of organists who could really rule the world”. Even here at Disney Hall there have been no organ and orchestra concerts since the first season. And the organ concerts are not listed as a part of the LA Phil season. Amazing and SO disappointing. Couple this with the fact that bands are driving church services; the instrument continues to have a diminishing market. Churches are creating an environment where now many people under 30 have not even heard the majesty of an organ

Still, as discouraging as this is, this is my Art and people love how I play, so I will never give it up…….EVER! Currently there is only one mini concert scheduled in the Spring. As usual there will be more that pop up so check back every couple of months.

Have a happy end of the summer and check out the Entertainment side. Lots going on there!

---

Winter Update - January 2006

A long time dream is to travel to perform and that is what I'm doing more than anything with the organ. I play the least in Los Angeles and most of my performance opportunities are outside the city limits. I did have one great in town opportunity last September.

The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles houses the largest church pipe organ in the world. Last fall the previous Organist in Residence had left and the new hire was not yet in town. So for 3 weeks I had the great opportunity to perform and work there. It was the most satisfying organ experience I have had in years. All I did was play and practice and play and practice and play and practice and play and practice and…. well, you get the idea. One forgets what it's like to really be active in today's weak ‘organ appreciation' climate. Most church jobs are playing a bit here and there in a service, or for Preludes and Postludes when people are talking. This is not satisfying. But at 1st Congo (how we lovingly refer to it), they listen and a player is challenged with rewarding music; plus the organist plays a mini recital every Thursday. I have not been that on top of my craft in years.

Of course there is always an opposite side. One is that services are very poorly attended. At the 11:00 service, in a sanctuary that can seat around 1400, there were seldom more than 75 – 100, albeit a very appreciative group. At the 9:00 service in the chapel they make a semi circle of chairs at the foot of the altar and there were never more than 6 attendees. And although the position pays better than any in L.A., it would not allow me to live with the financial freedom one needs to thrive in this city.

The organ remains my Art but at the same time remains a most significant challenge. What takes the most effort to prepare and perform is the least sustained financially and opportunity wise. Art vs. Commerce- a story as old as humankind. But, I am addicted to this instrument and will continue to support my habit. I look forward to your enabling help and support! [:-)

---

Fall Update - September 2005
The Fall season is here and an array of changes in advancement and more focused direction are afoot. So very much has blossomed since I left Bel Air Presbyterian a year ago. Things seen and unforeseen have expanded into new possibilities of creativity and growth.

Although at this point in my life I should not be surprised, it still amazes me how when one steps out in FAITH on a dream or a thought, if the belief is strong enough that dream or thought will coalesce into it's manifestation in physical terms. I have wanted to travel more with my playing and there have been many more opportunities and potential opportunities to do so. I have wanted to and taken necessary vacations in the last year and all the financials were supplied. But, the most amazing thing is something I could have never foreseen.

As you know I have been playing at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church up in the San Francisco Bay Area. What you may not know is that my mother lives across the bay in Oakland and is at the point in her life where her estate needs more attention. Because of the work in Menlo Park, I have seen her more in the last year and been available to help more than I have in the last 5 years. Only God knew that that's where I needed to be, at the same time supplying work, money AND travel. There is NO way I could have seen this coming or made this happen so perfectly.

This coming year will continue to offer many, many changes and opportunities. Where it ends up I do not know, but the journey is so much more important than the destination. I will be concertizing more and in higher visibility places. Check the calendar for events into April 2006. At this time I will not be seeking a permanent church position; I feel there is more opportunity, freedom and growth on the outside right now. However, as we know, life creates different things while we are creating our own thing. We'll just wait and see what the joy ride has next in store! Happy Fall Season to you!!