Playing for the Prize

Ingenuity, subtlety, virtuosity, even heroism are traits necessary in becoming a world-class musician. Hear them applied by Heather Hinton, Peter Krasinski, John Schwandt, Justin Bischof, and Ann Elise Smoot, all winners of American Guild of Organists national competitions. I captured them ‘on the spot’ in Denver, showing us the way through music of many moods: fast and sinister, prayerful, and heroic. It’s amazing what the youngsters are up to these days and there’s no stopping them. Tune in and hear them Playing for the Prize, this week on Pipedreams.

Audio Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

September 18, 2000

Music played in the program

LEO SOWERBY: Fast and Sinister, from Symphony in G –Ann Elise Smoot (1958 Reuter; 2001 Morel/Montview Boulevard Presbyterian, Denver, CO) Pipedreams Archive recorded June 30, 1998

JUSTIN BISCHOF: Fantasy-Toccata, Improvisation –Justin Bischof, organ. PETER KRASINSKI: Scherzo, Improvisation –Peter Krasinski (1912 Kimball; 1996 Morel/Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Denver, CO) Pipedreams Archive recorded June 29, 1998

CÉSAR FRANCK: Priere, Opus 20 –Ann Elise Smoot (1958 Reuter; 2001 Morel/Montview Boulevard Presbyterian, Denver, CO) Pipedreams Archive recorded June 30, 1998

JOSEPH JONGEN: Sonata Eroica, Opus 94 –Heather Hinton (1979 Casavant Frères/Wellshire Presbyterian, Denver, CO) Pipedreams Archive recorded July 2, 1998

JOHN SCHWANDT: Scherzo and Variations, Improvisation –John Schwandt (1912 Kimball; 1996 Morel/Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Denver, CO) Pipedreams Archive recorded June 29, 1998

All performers were recorded during the 1998 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Denver. Schwandt, Krasinski and Bischof were finalists in an Improvisation Competition; Smoot in 1998 and Hinton in 1996 were AGO National Young Artist Competition winners. Compact discs by Justin Bischof are released by Ethereal Recordings; a new album by Ann Elise Smoot is available from JAV Recordings