Oh yes!! What could be better than taking a Friday to make music in one of the greatest spaces in Newark, NJ? Umm...NOTHING!
I had the great honor to perform with my friend, Ed Gattsek. He's the band teacher at Freehold Township High School and a fine musician. We've known each other since our grad school days at Teachers College, Columbia University and have collaborated several times with organ and wind ensemble performances, and today was no different. He has great kids and always impeccable taste in music.
And, to get my hands on the magnum opus built by Schantz Organ Company performing Symphony No. 3: Finale ("Organ" Symphony) by Saint-Saëns, Walton's Crown Imperial, and Puccini's O bio babbino caro with talented kids just validates all the hard work Ed, myself and all the other music educators in the world do to help our kids experience great music and shine! So, it was special to spend the day with them and playing their last pieces for the school year. Ed really does know how to find great places to perform, and today was no different!
OK! You're wondering about the organ? This is my third time playing this might instrument--which feels like you're flying a 747! Well, it is everything that an organist could want and them some more. It's actually two complete pipe organs that can be controlled either from the chancel console, where I am seated in the picture above. The second console is in the gallery at the read of the cathedral. I only used the stops for the chancel section, otherwise I'd blow the kids out of the water. Certainly a place to visit when you're in Newark! So yeah...I'm a lucky guy!
Cheers!
I had the great honor to perform with my friend, Ed Gattsek. He's the band teacher at Freehold Township High School and a fine musician. We've known each other since our grad school days at Teachers College, Columbia University and have collaborated several times with organ and wind ensemble performances, and today was no different. He has great kids and always impeccable taste in music.
And, to get my hands on the magnum opus built by Schantz Organ Company performing Symphony No. 3: Finale ("Organ" Symphony) by Saint-Saëns, Walton's Crown Imperial, and Puccini's O bio babbino caro with talented kids just validates all the hard work Ed, myself and all the other music educators in the world do to help our kids experience great music and shine! So, it was special to spend the day with them and playing their last pieces for the school year. Ed really does know how to find great places to perform, and today was no different!
Cheers!
