The LA AGO Podcast

Remember that moment when you were first captivated by an organ? When the sounds and sensations drew you in and piqued your curiosity? When you saw an organ console up close for the first time and was overwhelmed by its complexity? When you just knew you wanted to learn how to play one? We all have memories like this and stories to tell about them. In each episode of The LA AGO Podcast, host Thompson Howell speaks with a different member of the Los Angeles Chapter, and occasional special guests, about their own love affair with the organ and how that passion informs their particular involvement with the organ world today. It's not just about what you've done; it's about why you do what you do. Whether you’re a church musician, a concert organist, a teacher, an organ builder or technician, a composer who writes for the organ or simply a fan of the organ and its music, you’ll enjoy hearing the stories of people who are passionate about the organ at every level.

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The LA AGO Podcast

Episode 17 (Christopher Keady)

February 12, 2022 • Host: Thompson Howell • Season 3 • Episode 4

Our Presidents' Day Organ Festival is back on Monday, February 21st after taking last year off. Our destination for the day is Pasadena. Make your lunch reservations, read artist bios, and get all the details about this year's Festival at the website here.

Our guest this time is Christopher Keady, Assistant Director of Music at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Chris will be our special out-of-Chapter guest on Presidents' Day and will play the final recital of the day at First Church of Christ, Scientist on its Murray Harris organ.

In this episode, Chris shares with host Thompson Howell his journey from his childhood in Eugene, Oregon to his graduate school work at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut; how the installation of a new pipe organ at his home church when he was younger helped make the organ a real thing to him; how his exposure to higher levels of church music accelerated his interest in a career as a church musician; the most satisfying parts of his work at Grace Cathedral and the associated Cathedral School for Boys; his volunteer work as the Sub-Dean for Programming for the San Francisco AGO Chapter and his efforts to engage young (future) organists.

Chris also explains what drew him to the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University for his Master's Degree studies and why he thinks it's a special program; talks about how he approaches a first encounter with an organ he hasn't played before; gives us a little preview of his Presidents' Day program at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Pasadena scheduled for a little after 2pm; and much more!

Listen at LAAGO.org or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

LINKS:

Grace Cathedral's Organ Recital Series on YouTube
Services of Evensong at Grace Cathedral on YouTube
The LA AGO Facebook page
The LA AGO YouTube channel