Last modified: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Free spring organ recitals to begin Jan. 28 at IU Auditorium
WHAT: Lunchtime Organ Recitals at IU Auditorium
WHEN: Thurs., Jan. 28, 12:15 p.m. Future spring semester recitals are scheduled for March 24 and April 15.
WHERE: IU Auditorium, 1211 E. Seventh St.
TICKETS: Not required. The event is free and open to the public.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 27, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Auditorium, the Bloomington chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and IU Jacobs School of Music have announced the spring noontime organ recital series performed by Jacobs organ students. The first of these free recitals is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. tomorrow (Jan. 28) at IU Auditorium.
Photo by John Rust, SIAGO.org
"Last semester's recitals were wonderfully well-received," said IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher. "It was exciting to see the campus and community come together during their lunch breaks, restoring a tradition that dates back to the 1950s."
The purpose of the American Guild of Organists 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. Organist Hillary Sullivan currently serves as dean of the Bloomington Chapter of the Guild, and she has played an integral role in the rekindling of this series.
The 4,500-pipe Auditorium Organ was originally built as the Roosevelt organ in 1889 and installed in the Chicago Auditorium Theatre. In 1942, it was sold to Dr. William H. Barnes, who donated the organ to IU. It was rebuilt because of water damage in 1967 and underwent an extensive restoration project in 1999. The Auditorium Organ is most commonly played as a part of religious events, university ceremonies and Dennis James' annual Halloween appearance.
These monthly recitals permit members of the general public an opportunity to hear a variety of organ music drawn from the extensive repertoire of students studying organ at the Jacobs School of Music. Doctoral students Andy Chislett and Nick Bergin will be performing works by Bach, Tournemire and Maxwell Davies at the first spring semester recital on Jan. 28.
Future spring semester recitals are scheduled for March 24 and April 15.
For more information, visit IUauditorium.com.
