John Fenstermaker has retired after a career spanning sixty years as a professional organist. His most recent position was at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, Naples, Florida, serving eighteen years.
He came to Naples from Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, California, where he was organist-choirmaster for thirty years. In addition, he was chief organist at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, now the Legion of Honor, where he played 26 weekend recitals each year. He has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony under the batons of Seiji Ozawa, Herbert Blomstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas, Arthur Fiedler, and Carmen Dragon. He graduated from the College of Church Musicians, Washington, DC, led by Leo Sowerby, and then was assistant at Washington National Cathedral for four years under Paul Callaway before moving to California. He studied in England with Allan Wicks at Canterbury Cathedral and in Paris with André Marchal at St. Eustache. Fenstermaker remains active as a recitalist and a substitute church organist.
The August 29 Evensong and farewell recital can be viewed at the Trinity website: trinitybythecove.com.
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