MONROE - "Ode to Spring" is the title for the Midday Masterworks program, a free half-hour organ mini-recital that will be presented on Wednesday, April 23 at 12:15 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 2227 4th St., and at 5:15 p.m. at St. Victor Catholic Church, 1760 14th St.
In addition to pieces for organ, the program will feature guest artist John Knechtenhofer, an alphornist from Savannah, Mo., playing a piece for solo alphorn and organ called "The Spirit of Alphorn," by Swiss composer Hans-Juerg Sommer.
Knechtenhofer, whose family roots are in Thun, Switzerland, studied alphorn in Switzerland with Fritz Frautschi of Schoenried, canton Bern. For the past several years, he has attended the annual North American Alphorn Retreat in Utah, studying and playing under renowned international staff and alphornists. He is also a member of the St. Joseph Gruetli Verein club and the Kansas City Swiss Society.
Midday Masterworks was established in 2002 by Monroe organist, Deborah Krauss Smith, as a way to feature the new 39-rank, three-manual Berghaus pipe organ at the United Methodist Church of Monroe. A reprise of the noon program was added in 2008 to showcase St. Victor Church's new Matthew Ronald Buholzer Memorial Organ.
For more information, visit coldspringsroad.com/middaymasterworks.html.
In addition to pieces for organ, the program will feature guest artist John Knechtenhofer, an alphornist from Savannah, Mo., playing a piece for solo alphorn and organ called "The Spirit of Alphorn," by Swiss composer Hans-Juerg Sommer.
Knechtenhofer, whose family roots are in Thun, Switzerland, studied alphorn in Switzerland with Fritz Frautschi of Schoenried, canton Bern. For the past several years, he has attended the annual North American Alphorn Retreat in Utah, studying and playing under renowned international staff and alphornists. He is also a member of the St. Joseph Gruetli Verein club and the Kansas City Swiss Society.
Midday Masterworks was established in 2002 by Monroe organist, Deborah Krauss Smith, as a way to feature the new 39-rank, three-manual Berghaus pipe organ at the United Methodist Church of Monroe. A reprise of the noon program was added in 2008 to showcase St. Victor Church's new Matthew Ronald Buholzer Memorial Organ.
For more information, visit coldspringsroad.com/middaymasterworks.html.
