World-renowned pipe organist to perform in Crystal Lake
At 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, Jonathan Ryan will perform at First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St. in Crystal Lake, as part of its Wesley M. Vos Memorial Organ Recital series featuring the church's Buzard Pipe Organ. The concert is free and open to the public. Freewill donations to benefit the Wesley M. Vos Memorial Organ Recital fund will be accepted at the concert.
Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike for his strong communicative skills in numerous styles, depth of musicianship, and passion, Ryan is hailed as one of the premiere young concert organists of our time. His command of an exceptionally large breadth of repertoire, spanning from the Renaissance to numerous solo and collaborative premieres, coupled with striking virtuosity enables the bold, imaginative programming and exceptional use of each organ's unique capability for which he is noted.
Ryan has the rare distinction of holding six first prize awards from major international and national organ competitions. He most notably entered the international spotlight when awarded first prize in the 2009 Jordan II International Organ Competition, one of the most substantial first prize awards of any organ competition at the time. He was additionally awarded the only auxiliary prize at the Jordan Competition, the LeTourneau Concerto Prize, given for the best performance of a newly commissioned work for organ and percussion ensemble.
As a recitalist, Ryan's solo engagements have taken him to numerous prominent venues and festivals throughout the United States and Europe. Recent performances in the U.K. have included St. Paul's Cathedral London, Ripon, Southwark and Truro Cathedrals, and a celebrity recital at St. Michael & All Angels Church in Great Torrington.
Born into a musical family in Charlotte, N.C, Ryan first started playing the organ at age 8. He earned a bachelor of music degree with academic honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied organ, improvisation, and church music with Todd Wilson. During his undergraduate studies, he was awarded the Henry Fusner Prize for outstanding achievement in the Cleveland Institute of Music's organ department. As a student of David Higgs, Ryan received a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music where he also studied improvisation with William Porter and conducting with William Weinert. Additionally, he holds the highest-ranking professional certification from the American Guild of Organists, the revered Fellow certificate, as well as the Choirmaster certificate for which he received the Choirmaster Prize.
During his two seasons as Visiting Artist at St. James Cathedral in Chicago, his solo organ accompaniment transcription of the Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45, performed live in concert with the St. James Cathedral Choir, Bruce Barber, conductor, was showcased on the Friday night "Music in Chicago" program of Chicago's Classical Music Station, WFMT. Ryan's performances have also been featured on the nationally syndicated radio programs Pipedreams and With Heart and Voice. For information, visit www.jonathan-ryan.com.
When First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake was built in 1867 it had a reed organ, which had to be pumped by the organist's feet much like an accordion. It served the church faithfully for over 100 years and the church's current pulpit is made from that original organ's handsome case. The reed organ was replaced by a Hammond electric organ that was played for nearly 30 years until 1996 when a capital fund drive was launched to replace it with a pipe organ. After much research, the church leadership consulted organ designer/builder John Paul Buzard and eventually chose his design for the Opus 16 organ. According to Buzard, it was apparent from the project's inception that this would be a very special instrument and installation. Endeavoring to relate visually to the historic building, the primary focus during the design stage of the organ was to marry the architecture of the new organ's case to the stately, singularly American architecture of the sanctuary, the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are symbolized by the case's three towers. The organ's design and installation in the sanctuary was featured as the cover photo of the June 1997 issue of the American Organist.
Join First Congregational Church for an afternoon of spectacular organ music that showcases Jonathan Ryan and the Buzard Organ in the sixth Wesley M. Vos Memorial Organ Recital.