Pipedreams Regional Organ Events Calendar

Upcoming organ events in and around Minnesota.

Calendar

(See also: Michael’s Appearances)

Last updated on March 28, 2024.

Related link: Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists

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Our Sunday morning MPR broadcasts of PIPEDREAMS are made possible by Members and Friends of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists with information online at TCAGO.org

We are excited to provide information on vibrant musical happenings in Minnesota and beyond. The organ is featured in each event listed. Some of these may be streamed, too, and others may be offered exclusively online.   

Here’s what is on the calendar in coming days and weeks.  Many events were tentatively ‘go’ at the time of posting, but specific information may change.  Though we will attempt to keep the information on this page current, please consult the individual venues for any last-minute changes and to confirm accuracy.

March 29, Friday at 6:30PM – as part of a Good Friday worship service, a performance of Minnesota composer Ron Nelson’s Passion According to Saint Mark (for chorus, soloists, orchestra and organ) will be directed by John Stender at 1st Presbyterian Church (512 Third Street SW) in Rochester, MN.

March 29, Friday at 7PM – choirs from 1st Lutheran Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and members of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra led by Michael Fuchs present a rare performance of Bach’s St. John Passion at 1st Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN.  Admission. This will be streamed at flcduluth.org

March 29, Friday at 7:30 – Canon Musician Raymond Johnston leads a performance of The Crucifixion by Stainer featuring the Cathedral Choir and 87-stop Foley-Faker organ at the Cathedral of St. Mark (519 Oak Grove) in Minneapolis, MN.  Free/donation.

March 30, Wednesday at 12:15PM – area musicians Vicki Anderson & Rebecca Hanson play the fifth in a series of Lenten Recitals (sponsored by the Arrowhead Chapter of the American Guild of Organists) featuring the 32-register Möller pipe organ at Zion Lutheran Church (1000 Washington Avenue) in Cloquet, MN.  Free/donation to support the Chapter’s Student Scholarship Fund. 

   Also at 12:15PM – area musicians Rosemary Guiney and David Tryggestad play the last in a series of Lenten Recitals (sponsored by the Arrowhead Chapter of the American Guild of Organists) featuring the historic 14-rank Hook & Hastings pipe organ at Holy Spirit Catholic Church (227 Third Street) in Two Harbors, MN.  Free/donation to support the Chapter’s Student Scholarship Fund. 

April 2, Tuesday at 7PM – social media maven and exceptional performer Anna Lapwood makes her Minnesota debut with a program of popular film-music transcriptions from Hans Zimmer’s score to Interstellar, plus works by Debussy, Philip Glass, Florence Price and Bach, featuring the 108-rank Aeolian-Skinner Concert Organ at Northrop on the University of Minnesota’s main campus (84 Church Street SE) in Minneapolis, MN.  Admission + streaming options.

April 6, Saturday at 7:30PM – student soloist Isabel Munson Alsum presents a recital on the 57-rank 1978 Brunzema-Casavant organ in the main auditorium of Dordt University (498 Fourth Avenue NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  Free. 

April 9, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Dean Billmeyer (University of MN) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

April 9, Tuesday at 7:30PM - faculty soloist Carrie Groenewold appears in concert with the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra, led by Dr. Onsby Rose for a performance of Aaron Copland’s Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, on the 57-rank 1978 Brunzema-Casavant organ in the main auditorium of Dordt University (498 Fourth Avenue NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  Free. 

April 11, Thursday at 6:30PM – former resident organist and Pipedreams Associate Producer Joseph Trucano plays a solo concert on the 26-rank C. B. Fisk pipe organ at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (3920 Victoria Street North) in Shoreview, MN,.  Free/donation.

April 12, Friday at 7PM – soloists Karen SandeBrian and Tasha KappRachel KreshaCharles Sundquist and David Tryggestad, members of the Arrowhead Chapter of the American Build of Organists, present an All-Bach Concert with catered reception and silent auction featuring the 39-rank Sebastian Glück pipe organ at the Cathedral of Christ the King (1410 Baxter Avenue) in Superior, WI.  Free/donation.

April 13, Saturday at 9:30AM – Young Artist Performance Competition, sponsored by the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, will be held at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (700 Snelling Avenue South) in Saint Paul.  More details TBA.

April 13, Saturday at 7PM – visiting Spanish virtuoso Loretto Aramendi appears in concert in the Chapel Arts Series featuring the Gabriel Kney tracker-action pipe organ in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel of the University of St. Thomas (Cleveland Avenue at Ashland) in St. Paul, MN.  Free/donation.  

April 13, Saturday at 3PM – resident musician Scott Turkington plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch.

April 14, Sunday at 3PM – Twin Cities organist Mark Paisar is featured in a performance of the Saint-Saëns “Organ” Symphony as part of a program that also includes the Beethoven Triple Concerto and an overture by Irish composer Ina Boyle in performances by the Mississippi Valley Orchestra at Benson Great Hall, Bethel University in Arden Hills, MN.  Free/donation. 

April 14, Sunday at 3PM – youthful regional organist Evan Pechacek performs works by Bach, Franck, Messiaen and Pechacek featuring the Schlicker-Dobson organ at 1st Presbyterian Church (6201 Osgood Avenue) in Stillwater, MN.  Free/donation. 

April 16, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Gregory Hand (University of Iowa) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

April 17, Wednesday at 12:30 (following noon Mass) – guest soloist Joshua Lindgren plays the 7th concert in the 2023-2024 Noontime Series featuring the 67-rank 2001 Lively-Fulcher pipe organ at the Catholic Church of St. Olaf (215 South 8th Street) in downtown Minneapolis, MN.  Free/donation. 

April 19, Friday at 7:30PM – student soloist Anna Hermann presents a recital on the 57-rank 1978 Brunzema-Casavant organ in the main auditorium of Dordt University (498 Fourth Avenue NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  Free. 

April 20, Saturday at 7:30PM – guest soloist from the Netherlands, Willem van Twillert, presents a recital on the 57-rank 1978 Brunzema-Casavant organ in the main auditorium of Dordt University (498 Fourth Avenue NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  Free. 

April 21, Sunday at 3PM – guest recitalist Christoph Bull (1st Congregational Church, Los Angeles) will play the inaugural recital on the new Content Concerto 476 digital organ at Redeemer Lutheran Church (61 Mississippi Street NE) in Fridley, MN.  Free.

April 21, Sunday at 4PM –guest musician Bruce Neswick (Trinity Cathedral, Portland, OR) leads a Hymn Festival featuring the 48-rank Casavant pipe organ at 1st Presbyterian Church (512 Third Street SW) in Rochester, MN.  Public invited.  Free/donation. 

April 23, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Carolyn Diamond (Minneapolis) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

April 23, Tuesday at 7PM – visionary guest organist Sarah Davachi makes her area solo debut with an evening of her signature textural and harmonic experimentation, taking full advantage of the remarkable 108-rank Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ above the Carlson Family Stage at Northrop in Minneapolis. MN.  Co-sponsored by Northrop and Liquid Music.  Admission.

April 26, Friday at 7:30PM – the Gustavus Choir, led by Brandon Dean and accompanied by Chad Winterfeldt present a performance of the Requiem by Maurice Duruflé featuring the 55-rank Hillgreen-Lane/Hendrickson organ in Christ Chapel on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.  Free. 

April 28, Sunday at 3PM – College senior Heidi Engman performs a student recital featuring works by Bach, Widor, Manz, and her own transcriptions of movie themes, featuring the 55-rank Hillgreen-Lane/Hendrickson organ in Christ Chapel on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.  Free. 

April 30, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Kristina Rizzotto (Lake of the Isles Lutheran, Minneapolis) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

May 3, Friday at 7:30PM – internationally-acclaimed guest pianist Horacio Lavandera will play works of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Gershwin, Schubert and Dino Saluzzi in concert at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (11 Fourth Avenue SW) in Rochester, MN.  Admission. 

May 4, Saturday at 7PM – as the season finale for the St.Thomas Chapel Arts Series, resident musician Jacob Benda plays concertos by G. F. Handel, Howard Hanson, and Naji Hakim with the St. Thomas Festival Orchestra led by Matthew George, featuring the 56-rank 1987 Gabriel Kney tracker-action pipe organ in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel of the University of St. Thomas (Cleveland Avenue at Ashland) in St. Paul, MN.  Free/donation. 

May 5, Sunday at 4PM – Twin Cities AGO/Quimby Competition winner Aaron Looney plays solo works by Bach and Vierne and accompanies the Hamline Church Festival Chorus in music by Rheinberger and Brahms in concert featuring the Brunzema-Casavant organ at Hamline United Methodist Church 1514 Englewood Avenue) in Saint Paul, MN.  Free/donation. 

May 7, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Jeffrey Patry (1st Lutheran, Saint Paul) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

May 10, Friday at 7:30PM –guest soloist Samuel Backman plays a solo concert on the 33-rank Dobson mechanical-action pipe organ at Olivet Congregational Church (1859 Iglehart Avenue) in Saint Paul, MN.  Free/donation.

May 11, Saturday at 3PM – talented young guest soloist Henry Dangerfield plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch.  

May 11, Saturday at 7:30PM – Canon Musician Raymond Johnston leads a season finale concert including music of Ravel and the Poulenc Gloria, with choir and orchestra at the Cathedral of St. Mark (519 Oak Grove) in Minneapolis, MN.  Admission.

May 12, Sunday at 3PM – young artists Aaron Looney and Trevor Goode, winners of the American Guild of Organists 2023 Regional Young Artists Competition, share a program of solo repertoire playing the recently installed Casavant-Letourneau organ at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (700 South Snelling Avenue) in Saint Paul, MN.  Free/donation. 

May 14, Tuesday at 12:35PM - guest soloist Kathrine Handford (Church of St. Mark, Saint Paul) continues the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

May 15, Wednesday at 12:30 (following noon Mass) – resident musician Joel Anderson plays the final concert in the 2023-2024 Noontime Series featuring the 67-rank 2001 Lively-Fulcher pipe organ at the Catholic Church of St. Olaf (215 South 8th Street) in downtown Minneapolis, MN.  Free/donation. 

May 19, Sunday at 2PM –St. Joseph native and visiting artist Lola Wolf, assisted by soprano Sister Janine Mettling and the St. Benedict’s Schola presents a program of works by Nicolas De Grigny, J. S. Bach, and Henryk Gorecki (“O Domina Nostra”, written in tributed to Poland’s Black Madonna), featuring the 33-rank Noack pipe organ in the Sacred Heart Chapel of St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, MN.  Free.  Artwork devoted to the Black Madonna by Sister Thomas Carey will be on display, too.

May 21, Tuesday at 12:35PM - resident artist Larry Martin concludes the 2023-2024 season of Tuesday Organ Recitals featuring the 57-rank 1998 Casavant pipe organ at the Church of St. Louis, King-of-France (506 Cedar Street) in downtown Saint Paul, MN.  Free. 

June 9, Sunday at 3PM – guest soloist Horst Buckholz (Music Director, Archdiocese of Detroit) plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch. 

June 14-15, Friday and Saturday, starting at 8AM Friday – HymnStock 2024, a two-day marathon featuring local and international organists accompanying the singing of every verse of every hymn in the Lutheran Book of Worship, the festival celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Achtiederbuch, the first Lutneran hymnal, and a benefit to support the organ project at St. John’s Lutheran Church (625 12th Avenue) in Howard Lake, MN. You're invited to sing along, whether it's the entire hymnal or just a few hymns whenever it fits in your schedule. We'll be joined by lots of organists and other musicians who will accompany the singing, and food will be served throughout the event. We'll start at 8 AM on Friday, June 14, and we'll wrap up around 10:30 Saturday morning, including a celebration breakfast. (Yes, we'll be singing all night!)  

July 21, Sunday at 3PM – guest soloist soloist Leo Abbott (Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston) plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch. 

 August 25, Sunday at 3PM – guest soloist Andrew McDonald plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch. 

September 15, Sunday at 3PM – resident organist Isaac Drewes and guest soloist Carolyn Diamond present A Colossal Kaleidoscope of Colorful Sounds, a varied program to celebrate the resources of the magnificent 107-rank 1963 Casavant organ at Central Lutheran ChurchI (222 South 12th Street) in Minneapolis, MN.  Free/donation. 

September 21, Saturday at 3PM – resident musician Scott Turkington plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch. 

October, Saturday at 3PM – resident musician Scott Turkington plays a concert on the 50-rank 2008 Noack tracker-action organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (5250 Justin Road) just outside La Crosse, WI.  Free/donation.  The Culina Mariana Café in the Visitors Center is an excellent place for pre-concert lunch.