Pipe organ concerts in Pasadena March 17, 31 & April 14

Three Pasadena churches and their organists will join forces for “Pipe Organs Inspire” — free-admission organ concerts
on March 17, March 31 and April 14 in the Playhouse District of downtown Pasadena. The series will begin March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church,
500 East Colorado Blvd. The second concert will be March 31 at 7:30 p.m. at First Church of Christ, Scientist, 80 Oakland St. The series will conclude on April 14 at
7:30 p.m. at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 East Colorado Blvd.

Each of the organists — Ae-­‐Kyong Kim (FUMC), David Wolfe (FCCS) and Timothy Howard (PPC) — will perform on all three programs, playing music selected
especially for the particular instrument. All concerts will be free of admission charges; voluntary offerings will be taken at each event.

“Our goal,” says Tod Allan, series coordinator, “was for our churches to collaborate in a unique way that would offer high-­‐quality program for the community
and beyond, giving people a chance to hear three magnificent instruments in churches that they may never have considered entering before.”

MARCH 17 — First United Methodist Church, Pasadena
Host organist: Ae-Kyong Kim
Ae-Kyong Kim has been organist at FUMC since 2003 and served in similar positions at Wilshire United
Methodist Church, Immanuel Presbyterian Church and L.A. Open Door Presbyterian Church. A native of
Seoul, she holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in organ performance from USC where
she also studied choral conducting.
Kim’s selections on the March 17 concert will be Mozart’s Fantasy in F Minor, K. 608, and three
movements from Charles-Marie Widor’s Symphony No. 6. On the program, Wolfe will play music by
J.S. Bach and Clarence Mader and Howard will perform music by Mendelssohn and Buxtehude.
FUMC’s organ was originally built in 1923 by the E.M. Skinner Co. It was remodeled in 1955 by
Aeolian-Skinner and in 1974 by Manuel Rosales. It has four manuals and 65 ranks of pipes.

MARCH 31 — First Church of Christ, Scientist, Pasadena
Host organist: David Wolfe
David Wolfe has been organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Pasadena for the past three years.
Previously, he served at a number of other local churches including 12 years as organist-­‐ director of
music at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Gabriel. He also teaches private piano and music theory lessons
in his home studio.

At age 15, Wolfe was a student of composer/organist Richard Purvis, and held his first church organist
position at the age of 17. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Music from Cal State Fresno,
and studied in Europe under Parisian organist Daniel Roth where he received the Konzertreife (Performer’s
Certificate) in Organ at the Musikhochschule des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken, Germany. Upon returning
to the United States, Wolfe completed the Doctor of Musical Arts at USC.

On the March 31 program, Wolfe will play music by Gaston Litaize and Maurice Duruflé and César Franck’s
Chorale No. 1 in E Major. Kim will perform music by J.S. Bach and Alexandre Guilmant, while Howard will
play selections by George Thalben-­‐Ball, Seth Bingham and Herbert Howells.

The organ at First Church of Christ Scientist, Pasadena, was originally built by Murray Harris Co. in 1909, then
remodeled by Schantz Organs in 1964 and Kenneth Simpson in 1967. It contains three manuals, 48 stops and
51 ranks of pipes.

APRIL 14
—
Pasadena Presbyterian Church
Host organist:
Timothy Howard
Timothy Howard has been organist at Pasadena Presbyterian Church for six years and Director of Music for
the past four. Prior to coming to Pasadena Presbyterian, he was associate organist-­‐ choirmaster at All Saints
Church, Pasadena, for 13 years. He is also a lecturer in music at Cal State Northridge and head of the school’s
organ program. Howard holds a Doctor of Music Arts degree, with honors, from USC and also has degrees from
Westminster Choir College and Biola University. In addition to being a noted organist and conductor, he has composed
organ scores for the silent films “Nosferatu,” “From the Manger to the Cross,” and “The Life and Passion of Jesus
Christ” and other works.

On April 14, Howard will play J.S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B Minor, BWV 544, and the final three
movements of Louis Vierne’s Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 42, No. 2. Kim will play music by
Marcel Dupré and Wolfe will perform selections by Widor and Olivier Messiaen.

PPC’s organ was originally built by Murray Harris Co. in 1908. A new organ, incorporating some of Harris’
work, was begun by Aeolian-­‐Skinner Co. in 1947 and completed in 1961. Subsequent remodeling was
undertaken by Casavant Frères Ltée. in 1979 and Schantz Organ Co. in 2003. The organ now has four
manuals with 111 ranks of pipes, making it one of the larger instruments in Southern California. More
information on the series can be found online at http://www.pipeorgansinspire.com/ or by calling Bob Thomas
at 323/257-­‐3817.