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FREE “Organ Day” @KimmelCC (Twitter) @KimmelCulturalCampus (Facebook/Instagram) is back for its 11th year on Feb. 28! @philorch performs in morning, plus @phila_ballet (Twitter)/@philadelphia_ballet (Instagram)/ @philadelphiaballet (Facebook), @OperaPhila, “Fred” the Organ, silent film, and MORE!
Press Contacts:
Lauren A. (Woodard) Hall
484-832-1963 (cell)
lhall@kimmelculturalcampus.org
Stephanie Williams
610-952-6836 (cell)
swilliams@philorch.org
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS AND THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA PRESENT 11TH FREE ORGAN DAY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023
Audiences of all ages are invited to FREE Philadelphia Orchestra concert with “Fred,” the king of all instruments and largest mechanical pipe organ in a concert venue in the U.S.
PLUS, appearances from Philadelphia Ballet and Opera Philadelphia
Lie onstage in Verizon Hall and feel the organ vibrations with “Organ Pumps”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, January 19, 2022) –– The Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Philadelphia Orchestra are proud to work in association with the Philadelphia Chapter of The American Guild of Organists (AGO) to present the 11th Organ Day, a FREE, family-friendly event featuring the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
“The Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ is a true highlight of Verizon Hall,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “We look forward to turning the spotlight on this majestic instrument, the largest mechanical pipe organ in a concert venue in the entire country, during our Organ Day festivities, which include performances from The Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Ballet, and Opera Philadelphia. In addition to featuring the organ extensively in our season programming, Organ Day helps to build audience interest in this magnificent instrument, and to inspire visitors of all ages about its musical capabilities.”
Organ Day 2023 kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with a FREE performance from the Grammy® Award-winning Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Tristan Rais-Sherman and accompanied by organist Paolo Bordignon. Full repertoire is below. A break will follow, during which organist Lucas Brown will play the Hammond B3 Organ as part of the Lucas Brown Trio outside Verizon Hall on the Plaza stage. Back in Verizon Hall at 1:20 p.m., children are invited to touch and explore the organ with Kids Play the Organ. A DJ (to be announced at a later date) & Lucas Brown on the Hammond B3 Organ will perform beginning at 1:45 p.m., followed by an intermission until 2:30 p.m.; audience members are invited to stay in their seats, leave the theater, or enjoy a snack from Garces Trading Company @ the Kimmel, the new café located inside the Kimmel Center.
After the break, Philadelphia Ballet will perform on the Verizon Hall stage from 2:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m., accompanied by organist Peter Conte. Philadelphia Ballet’s repertoire is listed below. Organist Paolo Bordignon will then perform a solo recital at 3:15 p.m., followed by an Opera Philadelphia showcase at 3:45 p.m. (repertoire below) and later a Gospel performance at 4:30 p.m. The late afternoon wraps up with the return of the silent film portion of the day, screened with live organ accompaniment, and with the popular “Organ Pumps,” during which guests are invited to leave their seats and lie on the stage of Verizon Hall, feeling the powerful vibrations of the organ. The day will be cohosted by Tyrone Whiting & Michael Barone.
Unveiled in May 2006, The Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, Dobson organ Op. 76, is located inside Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center. “Fred” ranks as the largest mechanical-action concert hall organ in the United States with 6,938 pipes, four blowers, 300 levels of memory, 111 stops, and a total weight of approximately 32 tons. The largest pipes are made of wood and are about 32 feet tall, while the smallest metal pipes are similar in size to a slender drinking straw. It is the culmination of more than six years and 52,000 hours of planning, construction, and voicing.
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11TH FRED J. COOPER MEMORIAL ORGAN DAY
Verizon Hall on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Saturday, February 25, 2023 I 11:30 AM – 6:00 PM
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BELOW IS A SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES FOR ORGAN DAY. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org. Additional information will be announced at a later date.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
The Philadelphia Orchestra with conductor Tristan Rais-Sherman and organist Paolo Bordignon
Gigout Grand Chœur dialogué, for organ, brass, and percussion
Jongen Fourth movement from Symphonie concertante, Op. 81, for organ and orchestra
Bach “Sinfonia,” from Cantata No. 29, “Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir,” BWV 29
Gabrieli Canzon in Double Echo, for 12-part brass choir and organ
Beach Prelude on an Old Folk Tune (“The Fair Hills of Éire, O!”)
Handel Selections from Organ Concerto No. 8 in A major, Op. 7, No. 2
Saint-Saëns Finale, from Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 (“Organ”)
12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Lucas Brown on the Hammond B3 Organ with Lucas Brown Trio
1:15 PM
Welcome from Organ Day 2023 cohosts: Michael Barone and Tyrone Whiting
1:20 PM – 1:45 PM
Kids Play the Organ
1:45 PM – 2:20 PM
DJ (to be announced at later date) and Lucas Brown on the Hammond B3 Organ
2:20 PM – 2:30 PM
Intermission
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Philadelphia Ballet with organist Peter Conte
REPERTOIRE
Precious Stones
Puss and Boots
Bluebird
Red Riding Hood
Grand Pas – with variations and coda
3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Recital with organist Paolo Bordignon
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
Opera Philadelphia chorus with conductor Elizabeth Braden and organist Jeffrey DeVault
MUSICAL CELEBRATIONS
Zadok the Priest, by Handel
Psalm 100, by David Hurd
I Love All Beauteous Things, by Judith Weir
O Lord Our Governor, by Healey Willan
Look Up into the Heavens, by Marcus DeLoach
Their Kingdom, the Air, by Hannah Kendall
Be Strong! The Lord Will Be With You, by Roy L. Belfield, Jr.
I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me, by C. Hubert H. Parry
4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
Gospel program (repertoire to be announced at a later date)
5:15 PM – 5:45 PM
Silent film with live organ accompaniment
5:45 PM – 6:00 PM
Organ Pumps
Organ programming is generously supported by the Wyncote Foundation. All scheduled programming and performers subject to change.
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Tickets
Tickets are required for the 11:30 Orchestra performance. Free tickets can be reserved by visiting the Organ Day webpage at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org and clicking “Free Orchestra Ticket”.
All performances 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. are unticketed. Come and go as you please!
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ABOUT POKC
On June 17, 2021, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Cultural Campus announced a pathbreaking partnership to create a brighter, more inclusive, and innovative cultural future for Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center Inc. (POKC). This new organization reimagines the power of the arts to bring joy, create community, and effect change—to uplift all Philadelphians. We have united from a position of strength to bring the greatest performances and most impactful education and community programs, in-person and digitally, to the diverse audiences of Philadelphia and beyond.
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the world’s preeminent orchestras. It strives to share the transformative power of music with the widest possible audience, and to create joy, connection, and excitement through music in the Philadelphia region, across the country, and around the world. Through innovative programming, robust educational initiatives, and commitment to the community, the ensemble is on a path to create an expansive future for classical music, and to further the place of the arts in an open and democratic society.
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region's diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1-million guests per year and includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, and SEI Innovation Studio), the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) – representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. We are home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and seven esteemed Resident Companies: Opera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region's most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region's young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. Read Kimmel Cultural Campus' vision statement, world view, and mission statement here. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it encompasses our mission, coworkers, and programs here.
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For photography, please visit https://kcccpress.smugmug.com
For a PDF version of this press release, click here.