Photo 1. The crowd of more than 400 people at the concert. In the upper part of the photo and behind the big screen is the Great/Pedal chamber of the organ.
Photo 2. A view of the crowd and the stage. Carl Dodrill, Foundation President, was recognizing the volunteers when this picture was taken.
Photo 3. Dr. Cross works her wonders at the console while her husband (who turned her pages) looks on.
Photo 4. A picture of the Roosevelt High School organ console.
Photo 5. A six year old great, great grandson of V.K. Froula plays the organ after the concert.
Photo 6. Members of the Roosevelt High School orchestra play Handel along with Cara Peterson.
Photo 7. Left to right are Brendan McMullen, Thomas Varas, Halden Toy, Cara Peterson, and Angela Cross.
Concert at Roosevelt High School
A Great Success
Carl Dodrill 10/26/09
On October 17, 2009, the Froula Memorial Pipe Organ was rededicated in a concert that attracted more than 400 people. The organ had been rebuilt and expanded from 7 ranks of pipes to 17 ranks by the Pipe Organ Foundation. Forty-three volunteers contributed more than 5,100 hours over a period of 10 months to make this project a reality. The many tasks that these faithful people performed is shown under Volunteers. The Foundation took advantage of the generosity of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Palo Alto, California which contributed their 1967 Moller organ to the effort. The result was an instrument that filled Roosevelt's new theatre with interesting and attention grabbing sound.
Halden Toy was the first organist, a 16 year old from Marysville Pilchuck High School. After polishing off Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, he went on to tackle Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 and the G Major Toccata of Chip Davis. Winner of the 2009 Young Organists Competition for Region VIII of the American Guild or Organists, Halden demonstrated a high level of skill for a person his age.
Next was Cara Peterson, a 2008 Roosevelt graduate who is currently studying organ at Westminster Choir College. She began her program by playing the third and fourth movements of the Mendelssohn Sonata No. 2 in C Minor. She was then joined by 10 members of the Roosevelt High School Orchestra in presenting Handel's Concerto in B-Flat Major, and it became evident to all in attendance that the organ will make a fine addition to performances of the orchestra in the future. Finally, Cara got everyone clapping when the knocked out a rousing rendition of the Roosevelt High School Fight Song.
After a brief intermission, organist David Locke of the Pipe Organ Foundation played Fantasy of Fanfares by Roosevelt High School sophomore Brendan McMullen. Brendan has only recently began to study organ, but based upon his drive to compose music, he had already written this piece which is based upon a simple melody in the Dorian mode. Brendan was our youngest Foundation volunteer, and he contributed 90 hours to the rebuilding of the Roosevelt organ.
Brendan's work was followed by a most sensitive rendering of the Aria of Paul Manz by Thomas Varas. Thomas is currently a 16 year old sophomore at Ballard High School, he has taken advantage of a number of organ experiences, and he has promise of being an excellent organist.
Finally, the audience responded very warmly to the playing of Angela Kraft Cross, the daughter of a 1942 Roosevelt graduate. Dr. Cross, a ophthalmic surgeon in California, began with Mendelssohn's Allegra, Chorale, and Fugue in D, and then went on to play one of her own compositions, Homage to Nouwen. The Ralph Vaughan Williams Rhosymedre was next, and it was followed by Carillon de Westminster by Vierne. The many years of playing by Dr. Cross was evident to all, and the crowd demonstrated their enthusiasm with extended applause.
The concert was followed by a reception put on with the support of the Orchestra Boosters from Roosevelt and by the American Guild of Organists. People stayed and visited at length. The organ had performed flawlessly, it was clear that it would be an asset for many years to come for Roosevelt students, and everyone went away feeling immensely satisfied.
See the photos of the concert in the left sidebar and click on the small images to enlarge.