Stop by on your lunch break each Wednesday in April, and enjoy a respite in the middle of the week
St. Andrew United Methodist Church invites the community to its second annual lunch-time organ recital series, highlighting the sounds of the impressive 4-manual Létourneau in the refined acoustics of the sanctuary, each Wednesday in April, from 12:00 to 12:35 p.m., at 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093.
“With the success of our series last year, we are thrilled to present this series again this year. These midday recitals provide a respite of beautiful music in the middle of the week,” said Dr. Jonathan Gregoire, Associate Director of Music/Organist. “We have another first-class group of organists scheduled. Whether you could attend last year or not, we invite the community to join us each Wednesday as our magnificent Létourneau organ is brought to life in the hands of these talented performers.”
In order, the organists include: Dr. Damin Spritzer, Assistant Professor of Organ, University of Oklahoma (April 6); Dr. Bradley Hunter Welch, Christ Church (April 13); Dr. Jonathan Gregoire, St. Andrew United Methodist Church (April 20); Dr. Heyon Jeong, St. Michael and All Angels (April 27).
"Lunch-time recitals provide a welcome break in the work day to unplug from the office, with a set length for the perfect morsel of music,” added Gregoire. “Please join us any Wednesday that work best in your schedule, and experience the beautiful resources of St. Andrew.”
(no food is allowed in sanctuary, but there is a central courtyard area next to the sanctuary and by the creek that is a nice picnic area)
ABOUT THE ORGANISTS:
Sought after for lectures and performances, praised for “enormous sensitivity and musicianship” (AAM Journal), and hailed as “elegantly assured” (Dallas Morning News), Damin Spritzer has performed organ recitals all through America and records internationally. She has been a featured artist for American Guild of Organist Conventions, and had the honor of being heard with “Pipedreams” radio broadcasts on numerous occasions as well as in the Netherlands and Canada. Cathedral Organist and Artist-in-Residence for Cathedral Arts at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew in Dallas, she was appointed Visiting Professor of Music for the fall semester of 2014 at the University of Oklahoma, and as Adjunct Professor of Organ Literature and Sacred Music at the University of North Texas. Previously she held positions with University Park United Methodist Church and Saint Rita Catholic Church, both in Dallas. Her doctorate was received from the University of North Texas, her Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and her Bachelor of Music from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Her first two commercial CD recordings are world-premiere discs of the music of Rene Becker, and were recorded at the Church of Saint Soloman and Saint Gregory in Pithiviers, France, and at the Cathédrale de la Sainte-Croix à Orléans, France. Both were released with RavenCD.com to critical acclaim, and two more volumes are forth-coming, focusing on Becker’s American years and on his unpublished manuscripts. Beginning fall of 2015, Dr. Spritzer is the Assistant Professor of Organ at the University of Oklahoma.
Hailed as “A world-class virtuoso” and “an expert at defining darks, lights, shadows and colors,” Bradley Hunter Welch is increasingly in demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and collaborative artist. A native of Knoxville, TN, Bradley holds the Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Musical Arts, Master of Music degrees, and the Artist Diploma from Yale University where he studied with Thomas Murray and Martin Jean. He also holds the Bachelor of Music degree magna cum laude from Baylor University where he studied with Joyce Jones. Dr. Welch is the 2003 First Place winner of the Dallas International Organ Competition and was also awarded the Audience Prize for the second time, having previously won it in 2000. He was Director of Music & Arts at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX from 2009 to 2014 and currently devotes his full-time attention to a thriving solo concert career. Between his concert and recording engagements, Dr. Welch serves as Artist-in-Residence as Christ Church (Anglican) in Plano, TX--one of the largest Anglican churches in the United States. In addition to these duties, he performs approximately 20 concerts annually under the exclusive artistic management of Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists, Hartford, CT. His premier recording is the first solo organ recording of the Cliburn Organ at Broadway Baptist Church. Bradley is married to Kara Kirkendoll Welch, a flutist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Adjunct Professor of Flute at Southern Methodist University. They have a son--Ethan Hunter Welch--and a daughter--Avery Kristine Welch.
Praised for his “expert account” of Vierne’s Carillon de Westminster by The Dallas Morning News, Jonathan Gregoire, serves as the Associate Director of Music and Principal Organist at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas. In addition to accompanying the many choirs of St. Andrew, he is the Director of the St. Andrew Academy of Music and serves as curator for the Sanctuary’s exquisite 4-manual Létourneau Organ, Opus 87. Dr. Gregoire performs nationally and internationally, and received the title of Diploma Laureate in the 2013 Tariverdiev International Organ Competition. He has received top honors for his degrees in organ performance from Arizona State University, the University of Kansas, St. John’s University and the Interlochen Arts Academy. He is pursuing an Artist Diploma at Southern Methodist University working with Prof. Stefan Engels. For additional information, including audio links, please visit:www.jonathangregoire.com.
Hyeon Jeong, the first prize-winner of the Fort Wayne National Organ Competition and the Flint International Organ Competition, holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Organ Performance from the University of Michigan, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Regent Fellowship. Her numerous awards and honors include the Rackam Grant and Dean’s Grant from the University of Michigan, the Graduate Scholarship from the University of Cincinnati, and the President Honor Scholarship from Yonsei University. A medal recipient of the Concours International d'Orgue Grand Prix de Chartres, France, she also received top prizes in the Mader National Competition and the Dublin-Ireland international Competition. Dr. Jeong has taught at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and is currently Associate Director of Music at Saint Michael and All Angels Church in Dallas, one of the largest Episcopal churches in the United States. Her performances have been featured on many broadcasts including NPR's nationally broadcast Pipedreams.