Mormon Organist Featured at Macy's

Friends of the Wanamaker Organ invites you to WANAMAKER ORGAN DAY, Saturday, June 6, 2009:

Come to Philadelphia Macy's for our free daylong musical extravaganza. We’re celebrating the 105th birthday of the world’s largest playing pipe organ, and we are pulling out all the
stops—all 461 of them!

Special concerts and displays in the Grand Court are combined with tours of the cavernous pipe chambers and video presentations between events. If you have ever wanted to hear the full majesty and power of this famous pipe organ, then don’t miss this opportunity.

10 am: Wanamaker Organ Grand Opening Concert with special guest artist Richard Elliott
of the Mormon Tabernacle, a former assistant Wanamaker Organist. Elliott is one of the most
electrifying virtuosos performing today!

Elliott plans an exciting program that includes a Toccata by Georgi Mushel, the Concerto in F Major by Handel, Sehnsuchtig (“Longing”) by Felix Mendelssohn; the Choral by Joseph Jongen; “As the Dew from Heaven” (the Tabernacle Choir broadcast sign-off theme) by Alexander Schreiner, “Come, Come, Ye Saints” (the LDS hymn; arr. Elliott); “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” Debussy’s “The Engulfed Cathedral” and two movements from Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”: “The Hut of Baba Yaga” and “The Great Gate of Kiev.” It promises to be an awesome recital.

11:30 am: Peter Richard Conte and his guests rattle the rafters in stunning arrangements in a program heard live on WRTI-FM radio and streamcast live at WRTI.org. Jill Pasternak hosts.

2:30 pm: By popular demand: Walt Strony makes the Wanamaker Organ sizzle in a tuneful Revue of lyrical pops favorites and light airs, including Richard Rogers’ Victory at Sea.

Organ Chamber Tours

5 pm: Wanamaker Grand Closing Concert Our annual spectacular showcases Peter Richard Conte with Rudy Lucente and The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ Festival Chorus and Brass Ensemble.

You won’t want to miss a minute! There will be free seating in the Grand Court for this store-hours event. Macy’s respectfully asks that patrons not bring their own folding chairs.

More details at wanamakerorgan.com.