The Ann Arbor Chapter of the American Guild of Organists presented its annual New Music Festival April 24 and 25, entitled "Music for the Queen of Instruments--a celebration of women composers for the organ." On Saturday evening Janette Fishell (chair of the organ and church music department, East Carolina University) gave a recital on the fine Schoenstein organ at First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor. The program: Five Sacred Dances for Solo Organ by Margaret Sandresky, Prelude on Hyfrydol by Ann Arbor's own Carol Muehlig, Te Deum by Jeanne Demessieux, On a Day of Bells by Libby Larsen, Rio abajo rio by Pamela Decker, and Alba by Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet-Hakim. Her playing was flawless, musical and engaging, and her comments helped the audience to understand and enjoy this very new music. The only well known work on the program was the Demessieux Te Deum.
On Sunday afternoon the festival moved to First United Methodist Church and featured great women organists and professors from southeastern Michigan, as well as showcasing Ann Arbor women composers. Naki Sung Kripfgans, organist at First Church, opened the program with a brilliant performance of Suite for Organ, No. 1 by Florence Price. Marilyn Mason, professor of organ and university organist at the University of Michigan, performed Prelude in f minor by Nadia Boulanger. Dr. Mason's brief talk about her studies with Madame Boulanger was a highlight of the weekend. Michele Johns, adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, joined Dr. Mason to perform Two Pieces for Organ Duet on Hymn Tunes by Alice Jordan, a work commissioned by Dr. Mason. Dr. Johns was then joined by Angela Mercurio on flute to perform Aria and Scherzo by Emma Lou Diemer. Our first Ann Arbor composer on the program, Gail Jennings, performed an exciting two-movement work of her own entitled The Promise of the Spirit. Elaine Grover, associate professor and chair of the church music and organ department at Marygrove College, chose two Canadian composers; Martha Sobaje's exciting Trumpet Tune should become a regular for weddings. This was followed by two works by Ruth Watson Henderson, Meditation on "Westminster Abbey" and Trumpet Voluntary. Carolyn Bybee on trumpet joined Dr. Grover for Trumpet Voluntary. The second Ann Arbor composer, Karen Phipps, performed two of her own works: Beautiful Savior, which featured Jean MacKenzie, and Fugue and Chorale "When in the Hour of Utmost Need." The program closed with Janice Beck's performance of Kairos by the former Ann Arbor, now Arizona resident and composer Pamela Decker. This work was commissioned by Dr. Beck, and her informative comments were appreciated.
The chapter is grateful to the performers and to the committee--Marilyn Mason, Carol Muehlig, and Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra--for their hard work in making this weekend such a success. It highlighted the wonderful contributions women are making to new music for the organ. We look forward to this movement continuing to grow.
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