No more teacher's dirty looks
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 9:34AM School's out. This was one of those rare semesters when I looked forward more to the destination than the journey. But along the way, I still found myself on a few highs with a musical production, new friendships, gigs coming out my ears, my students' encounter with their first E.M. Skinner organ, and our ever-colorful Commencement ceremonies. It was all fun, but I'm glad for the break.
The Boone area has two new pipe organs. The Church of the Holy Cross in Valle Crucis installed last year a 35-year-old van Daalen, transplanted from Minnesota. John Farmer moved it and made the necessary architectural alterations to it. It looks like it should have always been there, and it sounds like it, too. My dedicatory recital on it is Sunday, May 15, at 4:00 pm.
The First Presbyterian Church of Boone is about to receive Gawthrop Organworks' Opus 1 instrument. I'm going over there today with my hard hat to inspect the space and take some measurements. Mr. Gawthrop is already making plans for a very Romantic inaugural program. Gee, I wonder whom he might find to play that sort of stuff.
It is encouraging to see congregations large and small exhibit such great enthusiasm for pipe organs. Long may they live!
This summer: Washington, Spoleto, AGO Greensboro, and Houston. I hope the air conditioners are working.