See Frederick Swann in Concert!

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Frederick Swann will be live in concert at the Church of Good Shepherd in Arcadia, California on Sunday, February 13th at 3pm! The concert is to dedicate the newly installed Rogers 5-Manual Masterpieces Series Classical Organ, the largest digital drawknob organ on the West Coast.

An incredible series of events has led to the installation of the largest all-digital drawknob organ in California - and it happened virtually overnight. Reverend Dr. Philip Bertolo Wood serves as Senior Pastor, a position he has held since 1996. Timothy Durkovic is Director of Music, Principal Organist and Carol Choir Director. The music ministry involves over 130 people. In 2010, a new 3-manual Rodgers organ was installed in the Chapel chancel area. and Antiphonal Division and Festival Trumpet were mounted high in the rear to great aural effect. The results in the Chapel were so successful that the church developed a renewed and immediate interest in installing a new organ in the Sanctuary. Through a generous donation, funds were immediately available and plans were made for the installation of a new 5-manual Rodgers in time for Easter - just two weeks away.

The Masterpiece organ selected for the Sanctuary is a state-of-the-art digital instrument that is equivalent to 195 pipe ranks, larger than any other all-digital drawknob instrument in Southern California, according to Dr. Robert Tall. A handsome dark oak casework for the rear gallery is under construction and will be installed mid-summer. The new casework will be visually pleasing with its new facade pipes and a new flamed copper Trumpet en Chamade. The existing Moller pipe organ served the congregation well, but it was in need of rebuilding and was not adequate for the size of the building. The church opted not to incorporate the Moller instrument into the new organ. Instead, the pipes were removed and given to several organ builders to be reused in local projects.

Frederick L. Swann (born 1931) is a prominent Americam church and concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor, and former president of the American Guild of Organists (2002–2008). During his career spanning more than a half-century, he has performed on most of the well-known pipe organs in the world and made numerous compact disc recordings.[1] Swann has been called "one of the country's most distinguished organists".[2] He is Organist Emeritus of the Crystal Cathedral and the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. He has appeared at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, St. Paul's Cathedral in London; and Passau Cathedral in Germany. He played the inaugural concert of the 6,125-pipe organ of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall.[5]

The Los Angeles Times called Swann's playing "Splendid, probing, brilliant and entertaining ... As always, Swann is an inspiration". Baltimore Sun music critic Tim Smith has called him "one of the country's most distinguished organists".
For further information, please visit the church website at www.goodshepherdarcadia.org and call Timothy Durkovic, Music Director, at 626-447-2181.

If you are unable to make it to this great concert, make sure and check out our Frederick Swann recordings on The Gothic Catalog!

Also, to listen to samples and download Frederick Swann recordings, visit ClassicsOnline.com!