Organ Recital, Sunday, November 19, 2023

 I received the following from Liz Sargeant this morning and I'm pleased to pass the information on to you. Many of us here at Joe's Pond know Jim from the many years he and his family have enjoyed coming to their cottage on Clubhouse Circle. It is especially exciting that Jim is performing at the former North Church. He explains his connection to that church and to St. Johnsbury in this announcement:

Dear Vermont friends -- Greetings, and I hope this missive finds you well.  

I'm writing to tell you that I'll be presenting a free organ recital at the United Community Church, UCC, 1325 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT at 4:00 p.m. on November 19, 2023 (the Sunday before Thanksgiving).  The recital is free and open to the public.  The program will feature approximately an hour of music I love, including works of Adolphus Hailstork, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Jean Langlais, Herbert Howells, Eugene Gigout, George Shearing, and Maurice Durufle.  

 For me, this recital represents something of a musical homecoming, inasmuch as I'll be privileged to play the same wonderful, historic instrument that I played during four years of high school as organist of what was then known as North Congregational Church.  In the years since I left St. J., professionally, I've been a lawyer, serving 33 years as a Justice Department prosecutor primarily in Boston.  But the organ has never lost its fascination for me, I've now retired, and I have time to practice and work with a teacher again.  After studying the organ with Helen Sleeper in St. J., I successively studied with Harriette Slack Richardson of Springfield, VT; Professor Milton Gill of Dartmouth College; David Pizarro of the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA (David later served as Organist and Master of the Choristers at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City); John Ferris, Harvard University Organist and Choirmaster; and Christian Lane, Founder and Director of the Boston Organ Studio.  (Many) years ago, when I was active in organ competitions, I twice won the Northern New England Young Organists Competition of the American Guild of Organists and was a participant in the AGO's National Young Organists Competition.  Over the years, I have either given or participated in many organ recitals at Harvard's Memorial Church, Harvard's Busch-Reisinger Museum, King's Chapel in Boston, Old West Church in Boston, and on the instrument that I'll be playing in this recital.  

 Why am I letting you know about this event?  Certainly not to put the arm on you to come (really, though it's always wonderful to see you), but just to avoid any possible "I can't believe you didn't let me know beforehand" conversations after the fact.

 Warmest regards, Jim Farmer

 Recital Program: