Nine members of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), Spokane Chapter, will perform in a program titled, “King of Instruments” at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 10, as part of St. John’s Second Sunday recital series.
The music will range from Johann Sebastian Bach to twenty-first century Canadian composer, Denis Bédard. Not only does the program include music written for the organ, it also includes transcriptions from orchestral and choral literature, including Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria” as arranged for organ and piano duet, according to a press release.
The AGO artists performing are Mary Jo Beck, Robert Carr, Mark Haberman, Jim Holmes, Tom Jefferson, Walt Kroon, Chris Nelson and Ty Peterson. Cathedral carilloneur, Byrl Cinnamon, will open the program playing the Cathedral carillon.
St. John’s three-manual Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ was installed in 1960. The organ features five divisions of 72 ranks in 86 stops as well as an antiphonal organ in the west gallery under the Cathedral’s Rose Window.
Founded in 1896, the American Guild of Organists is a national organization for professional organists and others interested in organ, hand bell and sacred choral music. The AGO provides support for members, promotes the organ in both its historic and evolving roles and engages the widest possible audiences for organ and choral music. The AGO has more than 20,000 members with 300 chapters throughout the United States and abroad, according to a press release.
A $10 donation at the door will be used to support special American Guild of Organists projects and the Second Sunday concerts. All are invited to the reception following the concert in the Great Hall.