New “Tuesday Pipes” Concert Series Connects Eastman Students with Rochester Community

The Eastman Organ Department introduces a new concert series titled “Tuesday Pipes,” which begins Oct. 7 at 12:10 p.m. Performances will be held at Christ Church in downtown Rochester, recurring weekly during the Tuesday lunch hour. Events are free and open to the general public.

Each concert will run for approximately 25 minutes and showcase the Craighead-Saunders Organ and Hook & Hastings Organ. Performances offer attendees an opportunity to hear these two exceptional instruments beyond a liturgical setting. “Tuesday Pipes” is sponsored by the Eastman School in an effort to bring organ music to local audiences while connecting Eastman students, faculty, and alumni with the wider community.

The first month of concerts will feature current Eastman doctoral students. Upcoming performers include: Oct. 7 – Derek Remeš (Minnesota), Oct. 14 – Aaron James (Ontario, Canada), Oct. 21 – Amanda Mole (Massachusetts), and Oct. 28 – Thomas Gaynor/Bryan Holten (New Zealand/Ohio).The series is projected to continue through April 2015.

“Rochester boasts a wonderfully rich organ culture, and Christ Church houses two of our most celebrated instruments. The city deserves a concert series to showcase these organs—and our talented performers—on a weekly basis,” says David Higgs, Chair of the Eastman Department of Organ, Sacred Music, and Historical Keyboards.

The Craighead-Saunders Organ is a detailed replica of an instrument built by Adam Gottlob Casparini in 1776. The result of six years of research into 18th-century organ design, it is modeled after the same organs for which J.S. Bach reserved his highest praise. The Craighead-Saunders is renowned for its rich timbre and wide variety of tone; in 2009, The New York Times devoted a special article praising the instrument’s authentic design. Its versatility makes it the ideal instrument to experience both modern compositions as well as the most historically accurate renditions of Bach.

The Hook & Hastings Organ is a quintessential example of American Romantic organ building. The 1893 instrument was restored and installed in Rochester in 2012 by Maine organ builder David Wallace, utilizing some pipework from an 1862 Hook organ that had been housed at Christ Church. The installation was a collaborative effort between Eastman organ students, community volunteers, and Eastman organ technician Mark Austin. As part of that project, Eastman students replicated stenciling that would have adorned the façade pipes over a century ago. The result is a striking complement to the Craighead-Saunders Organ, retaining the tonal and mechanical qualities of a genuine 19th-century instrument.

For more information on the Tuesday Pipes series, please visit https://www.esm.rochester.edu/organ/events/ or call the Office for Organ Outreach Programs at the Eastman School of Music: (585) 274-1564. Christ Church is located at 141 East Ave., Rochester, NY, 14604.

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Calendar Listings:

Tuesday, October 7

“Tuesday Pipes” recital by Derek Remeš

12:10 p.m.

Christ Church, 141 East Ave.