The Young Organist Collaborative (YOC) will hold a Fall Faculty Concert on Friday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m. at Christ Church in Exeter, NH. The concert will feature performances by YOC faculty members Jennifer McPherson Mulhern, Adam Peithmann, Tamara Rozek, Robert St. Cyr, Hentus van Rooyen and David Wold.

The concert program will include works for pipe organ by Nicolaus Bruhns, J.S. Bach, Marcel Dupré, Hans-Martin Kiefer, Nico Muhly, Brenda Portman and Louis Vierne.
The Young Organist Collaborative encourages and supports young people ages 11-18 in learning to play the pipe organ by awarding scholarships that cover the cost for 16 organ lessons with a qualified local organist in the tri-state area of northern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine. The fall concert features six of the faculty currently working with YOC students.

“The YOC’s ability to achieve our mission of encouraging the next generation of organists rests on the shoulders of our talented and dedicated faculty,” said Richard Benefield, Chair of Young Organist Collaborative committee. “The fall concert showcases the skill and artistry that each of these talented performers brings to the ‘King of Instruments’ and offers a sampling of the range of music that has been written for pipe organ over the years.”

Jennifer McPherson Mulhern serves as Director of Music and Liturgy at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH and serves on the YOC steering committee. Adam Peithmann serves as Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church Episcopal in Exeter, NH. Tamara Rozek serves as Director of Music Ministry and Organist at Middle Street Baptist Church in Portsmouth, NH. Robert St. Cyr is the Director of Sacred Music/Organist/Choirmaster at Saint Marie Parish in Manchester, NH. Hentus van Rooyen is Director of Music Ministries at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Cape Elizabeth, ME. David Wold is a teacher, performer, and concert promoter/producer in the Seacoast area as well as the staff organist at St. Theresa Church in Rye, NH.

This fall, the YOC welcomed an incoming class of students of five new organ students and seven returning students, each of whom will receive scholarships that cover the cost of 16 lessons (first year students) or eight lessons (returning students) with a qualified YOC organ faculty member in the tri-state area of northern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine. The incoming first year students have all had at least two years of piano lessons, can read music, and are able to play equally well with both hands.

Funded by private donations, the YOC has provided scholarships for organ lessons to more than 140 youth since 2001.

The Fall Faculty Concert is open to the public. There is a suggested at-the-door donation of $10.00 per person. Christ Church Episcopal is located at 43 Pine Street, Exeter, NH 03833. For more information or to support the scholarship fund, visit www.youngorganistcollaborative.org.