A Free Progressive Recital & Reception — Public Warmly Invited!

October 3, 2008 / Sarasota, FL — On Sunday, October 19, several downtown churches are hosting an “Organ Spectacular,” as part of an international event initiated by the American Guild of Organists and designed to celebrate the magnificent music of organs and the talented organists who play them.

Ann Stephenson Moe & Dan Cartlidge

The Sarasota Organ Spectacular will be a progressive recital of Widor’s Symphony No. 5, performed in five movements, by five area organists, on the organs of four downtown churches.
Charles-Marie Widor was organist of Saint Sulpice in Paris in the late 1800s. His organ symphonies were notable for the translation of orchestral sounds into organistic terms.

The community is warmly invited to this free recital, which includes an opening reception.

The Organ Spectacular will begin at 6:00 PM with a wine and cheese reception at the Church of the Redeemer, located at 222 South Palm Avenue; followed by a 7:00 PM Evensong service with the special work being the performance of the First Movement – Theme and Variations — of Widor’s Symphony No. 5, played by Ann Stephenson-Moe, Redeemer’s Organist/Choirmaster.

The recital will then progress to an 8:00 PM performance of the Second Movement — Allegro cantabile — at the First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, performed by Carol Hawkinson, Organist.

At 8:25 PM, Dr. Robert Reeves, Minister of Music at St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key, will perform the Third Movement – Scherzo – at the First United Methodist Church, located at104 Pineapple Avenue.

At 8:50 PM the recital will progress to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1031 South Euclid Avenue, where the Fourth Movement — Adagio — will be performed by Gregory Chestnut, Organist/Minister of Music and Fine Arts.

At 9:15 PM the recital will return to the Church of the Redeemer for a performance of the final Fifth Movement — the famous Toccata –by Daniel Cartlidge, Assistant Organist/Choirmaster for Redeemer.

With the exception of the 6:00 PM reception, all times given are approximate. A nightcap of coffee and dessert will be offered in Gillespie Hall at the Church of the Redeemer after the final recital.

For more information about this event, contact Ann Stephenson-Moe at the Church of the Redeemer (941.955.4263) or contact any of the churches and organists identified in the bio/background detail which follows this press release.