Music at UW

  Halloween Organ Recital

Here is something to put on your calendar for Halloween next year—The University of Washington School of Music puts on organ concerts annually beginning with a Halloween recital at this time of year.  The event is held in the cozy Walker Ames room in Kane Hall on the campus that holds about 100 to 150 people and was a treat not a trick.  The Littlefield organ was decorated, as were other areas in the room.  All the performers and a few people in the audience were in costume. The evening opened with Hedwig’s Theme from the Harry Potter movies continuing on with a variety of old and new music including some familiar Bach, Mozart and Grieg.  The room was almost full even though a football game was being held at the same time in the stadium on the other side of the campus.

Part of the audience and the organ

The organ with decorations

The performers in costume

After the recital the participants posed for a few photos.  Unfortunately I was not standing in the right position to get a good picture of all of the performers but Professor Carole Terry is in the center with the red & black jester hat, the students:  William F. Bryant as the Grim Reaper, Kyujin Choi the ladybug, Samuel Libra as the doctor, Kyle Kirshenman in a gray kimono, Hyun-Ja Choi & Ahra Yoo were wearing Mickey Mouse ears and black cat red ears that lit up, Christopher Howerter was the cowboy, David Boeckh was the vampire in top hat and cape, and Cara Peterson was in the red robe.  [If I made an error and got someone in the wrong costume, I apologize.]

The organ was installed in 1990 and is named for the Littlefield brothers, Edmund and Jacques, who donated the money for its construction.  It is beautiful.  It was handmade in Tacoma by Paul Fritts & Company Organ Builders and was modeled after 17th century German and Dutch instruments.  It has 979 pipes ranging from 10 feet to the size of a pencil and has a wonderful tone.  This evening was great fun and one I hope to repeat next year.

For more information about the upcoming organ recitals and the Littlefield organ see:
http://www.music.washington.edu/news/104