St. Alban's Episcopal Church - Music at St Alban's

The Beggar Boys

WELCOME to the seventh season of Music at St. Alban’s, and what a season it will be! We are proud to welcome WDAV 89.9 Classical Public Radio as our Season Media Sponsor and thrilled to bring you Steven Darlington and the Choir of Christ Church, Oxford as part of our stellar lineup of national and international artists.

Furthermore, as of January, 2011, we will be welcoming Barbara Blaker Krumdieck as our new Artistic Director. A Davidson resident, Barbara has made her mark as a baroque cellist and advocate for the arts in our community, and she is looking forward to continuing to build great arts programming as she assumes leadership of Music at St. Alban’s.

What sets us apart? Our intimate, welcoming seating arrangement and friendly, fun post-concert receptions continue to break down the barriers between artists and audiences, and our expanded outreach programs bring guest artists to schools and community organizations, where they share their passion and talent with those who ordinarily might not have the opportunity to experience and appreciate these musical gifts. We also are reaffirming our commitment to making great music available to young people by offering free admission to all children under age 12. Your support allows us to keep our admission prices low - and not raise ticket prices in six years - in spite of rising costs and curtailed arts funding all around us.

Subscription purchases and additional tax-deductible contributions account for more than half of our operating budget. We are enriching this community through great music - and you can be proud that your generosity makes it possible.

Music at St. Alban’s - Our Seventh Season

301 Caldwell Lane Davidson, NC

2010-2011 Concert Series

A world of music right around the corner

Music at Saint Alban’s, Season Seven

Tickets available at the door, or in advance by calling 704.941.0650.

Box Office Hours 9-3, Mon-Fri.

You can now follow Music at St. Alban’s on FACEBOOK. Become a fan and you can be part of our online community - receive updates about our upcoming events, browse photos of our artists, leave us feedback, and keep up with the latest news as we continue to grow.

About the George Stevens Organ at St. Alban's

The history and craftsmanship of this magnificent 19th century organ is highly noteworthy. Upon initial completion, the organ had 686 pipes of various shapes and sizes. Since then, many additional “ranks” or sounds have been added and today the organ has more than 900 pipes. Each pipe ranges in size; some are as small as a pencil stub while the largest is a nine-foot cylinder big enough for a child to crawl through. Its case, which is six feet deep and 15 feet high, is finished with tiger-striped white oak, the console is black walnut and the keys are hand-carved from elephant ivory. The stops also are ivory, with ornate calligraphy carved into them in order to identify each sound or action.

The organ was originally designed and crafted in Boston, which in the 1800s, was the hub of organ building. In 1835, George Stevens, a highly regarded craftsman and a member of the prominent Boston School. The Boston School, a group of shops that worked together to create premium organs, were known for their high quality workmanship. St. Alban’s acquired the organ from the owner; a Methodist church in Hope, Rhode Island, in 2000.

To prepare the organ for its new home, it was taken apart piece by piece and carefully wrapped and shipped to John Farmer, of Winston-Salem, NC, one of the nation’s top organ restorers. Farmer was responsible for restoring the organ to its full 19th century sound and appearance. The restoration process included replacing and repairing individual parts, adding pipes, refinishing the case and adding the gold leaf trim to the molding.

The organ was installed in the sanctuary in March, 2003.

“There simply is no way to replicate these materials and this type of handwork today,” said John Farmer.

ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS

George Stevens, East Cambridge, MA, ca. 1865

Richard Hamar, Boston, MA :Restored and enlarged 1974

J. Allen Farmer, Inc. Winston-Salem NC: Rebuilt and Refurbished 2003

GREAT: 56 notes, C1-G56, unenclosed

1. Open Diapason 8’ 56 Pipes façade, spotted metal

2. Clarabella (tg) 8’ 37 open wood

3. Keraulophone (tg) 8’ 37 open metal

Stopped Diap. Bass 8’ 19 stopped wood

4. Principal 4’ 56 open metal