Baylor's School of Music Hosts 14th Annual Midwinter Organ Conference

by Katie Brooks, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

Baylor University's School of Music will welcome organists from across the country for its 14th annual Midwinter Organ Conference from Feb. 10- 12, in the Glennis McCrary Music Building, Roxy Grove Hall-Recital Hall II and the George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

"Baylor is blessed to have some of the finest organs at any university in the country. With nine pipe organs, five that are in halls where recitals may be held, people have the opportunity to hear a wonderful variety of the instrument known as 'The King of Instruments,'" said Dr. Joyce Jones, the Joyce Oliver Bowden professor of music and organist-in-residence.

Jones said the Baylor Midwinter Organ Conference began as a way to showcase the new organs when the McCrary music building was first opened. She said people attend the conference from all across the nation.

This year's concert will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, with a recital by Brent Stamey, a senior organ music major from Natchitoches, La. Dr. Jeffery Ames, assistant professor of choral music and assistant director of choral activities, and the 100 Voice Concert Choir will lead a hymn festival at 7 p.m. in Truett's Powell Chapel.

Jones and Wiff Rudd, professor of trumpet, will play an organ and trumpet duet at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the newly renovated Roxy Grove Hall. Gail Archer, international concert organist, will play a concert in Powell Chapel at 7:30 p.m.

The concert will end with three performances on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Three high school students who attended the Baylor Summer Organ Institute will play a program at 1 p.m. called "Future Stars of the Organ World" in Truett Seminary. The Baylor organ students' concert will be at 4 p.m. in Truett.

Vincent Dubois will close the conference with a program at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Concert Hall, in the McCrary music building. Dubois, an outstanding young organist from France, was a winner in the Calgary Organ Competition.

"Each year we try to out-do the previous year's programs. In order to keep people coming, we try for a variety of programs, all centered on the organ," Jones said.

The concerts are all free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Jones at (254) 710-1417.