Spring in Holland, Michigan?  Tulip Time!  There was of course, more to the spring 2015 than just Tulips, wooden shoes, and Dutch dancing, but this seems a good place to start.      This past spring I had a number of fun musical opportunities nearer to home.  I was asked at the last minute to fill in for an event the Grand Rapids American Guild of Organists chapter was organizing - a performance with orchestra by four local organists (seen…

My "mini tour of the South", as I liked to call it, was this February, to Chattanooga, TN and Birmingham, AL.  I had hoped to see lots of sun and the arrival of spring a good month or two before we can hope for such things in Michigan.  Alas, balmy it was not, but at least there was sun, and a bit warmer weather than what we've been experienceing as of late.   This was my first trip to Chattanooga,…

September started wtih an international gig!  Ok, it was Canada, and I can drive to Toronto in about 6 hours, so not that exotic.  But I loved the chance to visit an exciting city that I hadn't seen since I was about 10 years old, and of which I remembered only two things: the CN Tower, and cold.  The CN Tower didn't seem to have changed much from where I was standing, but the weather was much improved on this…

June and July this summer were busy organ months for me. First, I was in Boston for the AGO national convention in June. Boston is just a great organ city, and I thoroughly enjoyed a week of hearing recitals, and catching up with colleagues and friends, and well as wandering around the city, searching for and finding various churches via the T. At the risk of leaving something fabulous out, highlights included being at Meuthen Music Hall, an iconic organ…

I was in Indiana in April and had a great trip. For one thing, spring had actually arrived there, four hours south of us, and it was warm and flowery! I was invited by the Indianapolis American Guild of Organist chapter to perform a recital on an instrument by organ builder Charles Ruggles. The organ was a joy to play, and the requested program, 17th century Germany music, fit it like a glove. It was fun to see old friends…

I've gotten quite passionate recently about the idea of investing in our local musical communities as artists - the impact we can have as local musicians, and the many benefits, both for us as individual artists, and for our greater communities, when we do so. In that vein, here are some vignettes of what's been going on musically in Holland, Michigan in the last months: nothing earth shattering, and no one's gotten famous or wealthy, but I do believe we've…

I spent a week in New York City this February, and as with many things in life, it didn't quite go as I'd expected, but was still a good time. I had some concerts, teaching, performing, and recording lined up to do during the week I was there. One of the many crazy snow storms of last winter blew in after I arrived and changed the teaching plans, and schedule conflicts canceled the recording plans, but instead I saw some…

Non-musicians who hear I travel to play concerts sometimes assume that I'm enjoying travel to exotic locations, and seeing the local sights during my concert trip. This is partially true. I have had the opportunity, because of a concert I'm playing, or an organ I'm visiting, to be in places I never would have otherwise gone, and I also try to grab chances, while there, to appreciate local attractions and beauty. Unfortunately, most of my time on a tour (when…

Spring into Summer in Holland, MI: tulips, berries, the beach, and organ conventions May in Holland, Michigan means Tulip Time, the festival of all things Dutch – Pigs in a Blanket, traditional Dutch dancing in costumes and wooden shoes, and many, many Tulips. The kids and I checked out all three parades this year during the festival, and they wore their costumes. Maybe I should get a costume for next year... The organ concert for kids that I presented this…

Winter 2013 – Treasures close to home: snow, local gigs, and (of course) organs.   Well hello again. It's been a long midwestern winter here, filled with much more of this   than this or at least it seems that way sometimes. However, when I sit down and think about it, I certainly can't complain.   The winter started in Advent, I think it's safe to say, and I was pleased to be back in Chicago to visit some old…