West Hartford pipe organ recital series continues February 7

On Sunday, February 7, 2021, at 12:30 pm, Music at the Red Door will present a solo recital by organist Scott Lamlein. The concert continues this season’s Pipes Alive! series of organ recitals given by regional artists performing on the celebrated Austin pipe organ at St. John’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford. The free concert will be livestreamed only, and may be viewed via St. John’s YouTube channel and on St. John’s Facebook page.

Cited by The American Organist magazine as infusing his music with “virtuosic flair and fire,” organist Scott Lamlein brings a unique emotional and spiritual inspiration to his audiences. In demand as a concert artist, Scott has performed in the United States, Canada, and Europe, with appearances at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in South Carolina, First Night Worcester (MA), the Überlinger Münster in Germany, and St. Thomas Church, New York. Scott’s concerts have been broadcast in South Carolina, Boston and Worcester.

Lamlein will perform a wide-ranging program of music by Bach, Cooman, Hailstork, Rakich, and Widor.

During the 2020-2021 season, Music at the Red Door is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the installation of the renowned pipe organ at St. John’s, built by Hartford-based Austin Organs.

“The marvelous pipe organ at St John’s, which was built by Hartford-based Austin Organs, serves not only the church and its congregation, but the whole community,” said Lamlein, who is Director of Music and Organist for St. John’s and Artistic Director of the Music at the Red Door concert series. “Through this celebratory season, we invite everyone to experience the amazing sonic experience of a pipe organ in live performance.”

The organ, known as Austin’s Opus 2761, resounds with 51 stops, 64 ranks, and 3,721 pipes. Since its installation in 1995, this renowned instrument has been featured often in concerts and recitals, providing opportunities to share with the greater community the beauty and triumph of organ music.

“The pipe organ at St John’s is remarkably versatile in its range of color and sonic power,” said Lamlein. “Our year-long celebration of this instrument will include solo recitals by several fine organists from across the region. We’ve expanded the popular Pipes Alive! recital series to seven concerts this season, and we are especially thrilled that David Hurd, one of the most highly-respected of American organists, will offer a full-length solo recital on March 6.”

Inaugurated in 2015, the Pipes Alive! organ recitals are given at 12:30 pm on the first Sunday of selected months, drawing enthusiastic audiences to hear the region’s finest organists play on one of the most versatile pipe organs in the area. Performers on the expanded 2020-2021 series include Zachary Schurman (November 1), Peter Niedmann (December 6), Kari Miller (January 3), Scott Lamlein (February 7), Carolyn Craig (March 7), Edward Clark (May 2), and Sean McCarthy (June 6).

Each year, Music at the Red Door presents a wide array of musical and cultural events, including celebrity organ recitals and the Pipes Alive! organ series; choral and chamber music concerts; guest choirs and ensembles; and special events such as the annual Lessons and Carols service and in most years a major choral concert, Choral Music for the Soul.

After the coronavirus pandemic closed down concert venues nearly a year ago, Music at the Red Door launched a new online music series, with more than a dozen weekly “pop-up” recitals featuring local and regional musicians. These informal recitals have attracted a wide viewership and raised much-needed donations for local agencies serving the homeless and hungry, who have been especially affected by the pandemic.

Music at the Red Door continues its full series of live music for the 2020-2021 season, with events scheduled through June. Each of the concerts will be livestreamed via St. John’s YouTube channel and on St. John’s Facebook page; as soon as it is safe to do so, the series will welcome in-person listeners back to the spacious, acoustically vibrant sanctuary at St. John’s.

Highlights of the 2020-2021 season include performances by internationally-acclaimed musicians such as organist David Hurd, violinist Leonid Sigal, and jazz bassist Nat Reeves.

“Since we are not able to welcome music-lovers to the beautiful St. John’s building for live concerts during this time of social isolation, we invite everyone to join us online,” said Lamlein. “We are hopeful that later in the season, we will be able to invite a live audience back to St. John’s, with all precautions are in place for a safe experience. In any case, we will continue to livestream all events for the entire season.”

Admission is free to all events presented by Music at the Red Door; donations in any amount are accepted https://reddoormusic.org/donate.

All programs are subject to change and cancellation. To receive news and updates, subscribe to the series newsletter at https://www.reddoormusic.org/signup/

The concert will be livestreamed here:

EVENT INFORMATION

What: Pipe organ recital by Connecticut organist Scott Lamlein

Program:

J. S. Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542

Carson Cooman: Alborada

Adolphus Hailstork: Great Day

Christa Rakich: Quodlibet on Slane

Charles-Marie Widor: Allegro vivace (variations) from Symphony V

When: Sunday, February 7 2021, 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm

Where and How: LIVESTREAM ONLY from St John’s Episcopal Church, West Hartford, CT via www.reddoormusic.org. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, this is a livestream event only. Do not come to the church; listen online.

Admission: No tickets required. Admission is free to all events presented by Music at the Red Door; donations in any amount are accepted https://reddoormusic.org/donate.

More Info: https://www.reddoormusic.org/event/pipes-alive-scott-lamlein-organist-5/ or concerts@reddoormusic.org

All programs are subject to change and cancellation. To receive news and updates, subscribe to the series newsletter at https://www.reddoormusic.org/signup/