Wednesday June 30

WEDNESDAY EVENING’S VIDEO PROGRAM IS ARCHIVED BELOW
Welcome by Michael Velting, AGO OrganFest 2021 Chair
Monica Czausz AGOYO Recitalist
Monica-Czausz
  • Scherzo from Symphony No. 6 in B minor, “Pathétique,” Op. 74, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
    Transcribed by Jean Guillou (1930–2019) and Monica Czausz (b. 1994)
Monica Czausz

A rising star among young classical musicians, Monica Czausz has quickly become one of the finest young American organists on the scene today. Known for her creative programming, innovative use of the organ, and charming demeanor, she was recognized as one of the top 20 organists under 30 by The Diapason in 2016. She has received first prize in numerous competitions, including the American Guild of Organists’ Regional Competition for Young Organists (Region VII: Southwest), the Schweitzer Competition in the Young Professionals’ Division, the William C. Hall Competition, the L. Cameron Johnson Competition, and the Oklahoma City University Competition.

Recent performance venues include the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia, Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Broadway Baptist Church of Fort Worth, St. Paul’s Chapel at Trinity Wall Street, the Eccles Festival at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, and the International Philip Lorenz Keyboard Festival in Fresno, CA.

Monica earned the Artist Diploma in Organ Performance and a Performer’s Certificate in Harpsichord Performance from the Curtis Institute of Music. She also holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, Texas. Previous church positions include Cathedral Organist at Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in Houston, and Assistant Organist at The Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena in New York City (Upper East Side). Monica currently serves as Director of Music at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Dallas.

More About the Artist
Featured Organ
  • Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas: Casavant (1996) (specifications)
Introduction to the Year of the Young Organist by Jillian Gardner, AGO Councillor for Young Organists
Kevin Kwan AGO Mid-Atlantic Region
Kevin-Kwan
  • His Eye Is on the Sparrow, Carl Haywood (b. 1949)
  • Toccata in D minor, Op. 57b, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
Kevin Kwan

Kevin Kwan received his degrees from the University of California, San Diego, and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Edgar Billups and Todd Wilson, respectively. Upon completion of his studies, Mr. Kwan served as Organ Scholar at Gloucester Cathedral, where he enjoyed two international tours with the Choir of Men and Boys, was featured live on BBC Radio, and played in the historic Three Choirs Festival. For four years Mr. Kwan served as Assistant Organist at Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue in New York City, where he worked daily with the renowned Choir of Men and Boys under the direction of the late John Scott. He also served as the Head of Instrumental Music at Saint Thomas Choir School.

As a recitalist, Mr. Kwan has performed solo recitals in many prestigious venues, including Lichfield, Truro, Bristol, Westminster Cathedrals, as well as Bath Abbey and Westminster Abbey. In 2010, he played before a capacity audience at Passau Cathedral in Germany.

Mr. Kwan currently serves as Organist & Director of Music at Christ and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Norfolk, VA, only the fifth organist in the last 135 years to hold the post. In addition to directing the large adult choir and developing the youth chorister program, he oversees the comprehensive concert series, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the 2022 Annual Conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians in Richmond, VA, and is past Dean of the Tidewater Chapter of the AGO.

More About the Artist
Featured Organ
  • Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Norfolk, Virginia: Casavant/Létourneau/Foley-Baker (1963/1996/2017) (specifications)
Journey to Wholeness: A Conversation with Angela Kraft Cross
Peter Krasinski
Peter-Krasinski
  • March and Procession of Bacchus from Silvia, Léo Delibes (1836–1891)
    Transcribed by Peter Krasinski (b. 1957)
Peter Krasinski

Peter Edwin Krasinski is broadly recognized as a motivating consultant for the pipe organ community, and as a conductor, organist, and music educator, whose imaginative and energetic performances elevate and inform audiences. Well-respected in both secular and sacred genres of his field, he has taught the enchantment of music at both public and private institutions in the greater Boston area for many years. His silent film performances have been hailed in the press as “a great marriage of movie and music.”

Specializing in the art of live silent film accompaniment, some of his many appearances worldwide have included such venues as The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, (Nashville), Riverside Church, (NYC), Coral Ridge, (Fort Lauderdale), Irvine Auditorium, (University of Pennsylvania), Trinity Wall Street (NYC), Wanamaker’s-Macy’s Greek Hall (Philadelphia), St Joseph’s Cathedral (Hartford), Old South Church (Boston), National City Christian Church (Washington, DC), St Joseph’s Oratory (Montreal), Merrill Auditorium in the City Hall, (Portland, ME), Methuen Music Hall, and major concert halls in the cities of Yokohama, Fukui, Miyazaki and Kanazawa, Japan.

A multiple prize-winner, he is the recipient of the First Prize in Improvisation from the American Guild of Organists National Competition. A seasoned performer, he has played recitals at Notre-Dame Cathedral (Paris), the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, (Los Angeles), Holy Name Cathedral, (Chicago) and Mikael Agricola Church, (Helsinki).

Past Dean of the Boston Chapter AGO, Mr. Krasinski is House Organist at the Providence Performing Arts Center and Organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Providence, RI. He recently presented Master Classes at the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. He holds both a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Organ Performance, and the Master of Sacred Music Degree from Boston University.

More About the Artist
Featured Organ
  • First Church of Christ, Scientist, Providence, Rhode Island: Hutchings-Votey (1913) (specifications)
A Trip to the Moon
A-Trip-to-the-Moon
  • Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902), directed by Georges Méliès (1861–1938), with improvised accompaniment by Peter Krasinski
Peter Krasinski

Peter Edwin Krasinski is broadly recognized as a motivating consultant for the pipe organ community, and as a conductor, organist, and music educator, whose imaginative and energetic performances elevate and inform audiences. Well-respected in both secular and sacred genres of his field, he has taught the enchantment of music at both public and private institutions in the greater Boston area for many years. His silent film performances have been hailed in the press as “a great marriage of movie and music.”

Specializing in the art of live silent film accompaniment, some of his many appearances worldwide have included such venues as The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, (Nashville), Riverside Church, (NYC), Coral Ridge, (Fort Lauderdale), Irvine Auditorium, (University of Pennsylvania), Trinity Wall Street (NYC), Wanamaker’s-Macy’s Greek Hall (Philadelphia), St Joseph’s Cathedral (Hartford), Old South Church (Boston), National City Christian Church (Washington, DC), St Joseph’s Oratory (Montreal), Merrill Auditorium in the City Hall, (Portland, ME), Methuen Music Hall, and major concert halls in the cities of Yokohama, Fukui, Miyazaki and Kanazawa, Japan.

A multiple prize-winner, he is the recipient of the First Prize in Improvisation from the American Guild of Organists National Competition. A seasoned performer, he has played recitals at Notre-Dame Cathedral (Paris), the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, (Los Angeles), Holy Name Cathedral, (Chicago) and Mikael Agricola Church, (Helsinki).

Past Dean of the Boston Chapter AGO, Mr. Krasinski is House Organist at the Providence Performing Arts Center and Organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Providence, RI. He recently presented Master Classes at the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. He holds both a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Organ Performance, and the Master of Sacred Music Degree from Boston University.

More About the Artist
Featured Organ
  • First Church of Christ, Scientist, Providence, Rhode Island: Hutchings-Votey (1913) (specifications)

Support for today’s performance by Monica Czausz is provided by Casavant Frères.

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Support for today’s performance by Kevin Kwan is provided by Foley-Baker, Inc.

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