Church welcomes renowned organist

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Church welcomes renowned organist
Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 12:31 PM     Updated: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 12:36 PM
MARY KLAUS, The Patriot-News By MARY KLAUS, The Patriot-News


David Binkley believes that church organs are meant to be heard beyond Sunday services.

Binkley, organist and choirmaster at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, happily shares the melodic sounds of his church's Schantz pipe organ with the community in Sunday and Wednesday performances known as the church's 2011-12 Music, Art and Drama series.
916FAITH.jpgSubmitted photoPeter Richard Conte, grand court organist of the Wana­maker organ at Macy's in Philadelphia, will present a recital Sept. 18 at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church.

The series will kick off at 4 p.m. Sept. 18 when Peter Richard Conte, grand court organist of the famous Wanamaker organ at Macy's department store in Philadelphia, will present a recital on the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church organ. Admission is free, but an offering will be taken.

Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, a traditional Presbyterian church with a strong attachment to its community, for years has been inviting the public into its sanctuary to enrich their souls in services and cultural offerings.

"For 39 years, we've held a Music, Art and Drama series as an outreach to the community," said Binkley, church organist and choirmaster since 1973.

"We booked Peter Conte a year ago. I've heard him play before and he's a ball of fire. Our listeners are in for a good treat."

Conte, choirmaster and organist of St. Clement's Church in Philadelphia, performs throughout the United States and Canada.

He has been featured on National Public Radio and on ABC's "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight." He also has a monthly radio show, "The Wanamaker Organ Hour."

When he is not touring, Conte performs twice daily on the Wanamaker organ, the largest fully functioning musical instrument in the world with six manuals and 28,000 pipes. Conte was named its grand court organist in 1989.

Conte's program on Sept. 18 will show the musical range of his talent.

His repertoire includes familiar music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Alexandre Guilmant and Leonard Bernstein.

Binkley said that Camp Hill Presbyterian Church four-section organ with 2,051 pipes is fairly new. He said that the church bought it using two-thirds of the money from a church member and the other third from contributions.

"We like to share it with our community," he said. "It's good to have our organ used."

The Music, Art and Drama series will continue with:

    Steven Courtney, performing songwriter, at 6 p.m. Oct. 19.
    Steve Anderson, actor/storyteller performing "Bah, Humbug: Inside a Dickens Classic" at 4 p.m. Nov. 13.
    Lancaster Brass Quintet at 4 p.m. Feb. 26.
    From the Well, an American Celtic folk band, at 4 p.m. March 25.

The church also offers 30-minute Wednesday Noon Day organ recitals on the first Wednesday of each month, from October to April.

The recitals feature members of the Harrisburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

A light lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., then the recital is held 12:15-12:45 p.m.

Eric
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