Saint Mark's Music Series: Organ Plus in Thomsen Chapel
Free
- Michael Kleinschmidt, organ
- John Stuntebeck, organ
- Roger W. Sherman, organ
- Mel Butler, viola
This celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Marion Camp Oliver Organ in Thomsen Chapel, installed by Paul Fritts & Co. in 2003, will feature organists Michael Kleinschmidt, Roger Sherman, and John Stuntebeck, with violist Mel Butler and remarks by Herb Williams.
This program will receive 2 performances: Friday, September 29 at 7:30pm; and Saturday, September 30 at 3pm.
About Michael Kleinschmidt, organ
Michael Kleinschmidt was appointed Canon for Cathedral Music at Saint Mark's in 2015 after serving in similar positions at Trinity Cathedral, Portland, Oregon, and Trinity Church, Boston. Michael's primary mentor in church music was the late Gerre Hancock, with whom he worked as Assistant Organist of Saint Thomas Church, New York City, in the early 1990s. Michael holds degrees in organ performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Eastman School of Music. In addition to his vocation, he enjoys exploring the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest on foot.
https://saintmarks.org/staff/michael-kleinschmidt/About John Stuntebeck, organ
John Stuntebeck serves as the Associate Organist at Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral where he leads congregational singing, accompanies the choirs, and offers selections from the organ repertoire for church services throughout the liturgical year. John is passionate about liturgical improvisation and he provides musical creations inspired by the Gospels and the great hymn texts of the ages at many services at St. Mark’s. In addition to being a church musician, John is an accomplished organist, pianist and accompanist who has performed in a wide variety of concerts of varying styles throughout the greater Puget Sound. He earned the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the Ohio State University in Spanish linguistics in 2003 and received his Masters in Music in organ performance in 2009 from the University of Washington, studying with Carole Terry and Mel Butler. As well as being a professional musician, John works full time as a senior IT program/project manager at Kaiser Permanente.
https://saintmarks.org/staff/john-stuntebeck/About Roger W. Sherman, organ
Roger W. Sherman is the Associate Organist Emeritus of St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle, and Artistic Director, Emeritus of the Orcas Choral Society. He has also served as Executive Director of the Westfield Center, an early music organization devoted to historic keyboard instruments. For more than 25 years he has also hosted and produced the popular Organ Loft radio program, broadcast in Seattle and Eugene, OR. A native of Seattle, Mr. Sherman attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where studied with Arthur Poister, Fenner Douglass, and William Porter. He was Director of Music for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Milwaukee from 1974-1979, and taught organ and harpsichord at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. During his tenure in Milwaukee, he was a popular harpsichord soloist with many groups, especially the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra. In addition to the recordings listed below, he has made recordings with Fred Sautter (principal Trumpet for the Oregon Symphony), the Imperial Brass, and the Dale Warland Singers.
About Mel Butler, viola
Organist Mel Butler was Canon Musician of Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle, from 1992 until his retirement at the end of 2014. He is presently choirmaster/organist at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Renton, WA. He taught organ improvisation and church music at the University of Washington, and as a professional violist, was Principal Guest Artist with the Onyx Chamber Players in Seattle. Prior to his Saint Mark's appointment, he was for many years Organist/Choirmaster of the Downtown Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY. During that time, he was also Associate Professor of Church Music at the Eastman School of Music, a violist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Director of the Rochester Bach Festival Chorus. During the Vietnam War era, he served his country as violist in the U.S. Navy String Quartet. Butler received his organ degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Eastman School of Music.
Mel Butler has performed in major concert halls, churches, and cathedrals in the US, the UK, and Japan. He often presents master classes and lectures on various aspects of church music, choral conducting, hymn playing, and improvisation, and has appeared as a lecturer and recitalist for conventions of the AGO, the Organ Historical Society, the Westfield Center, and the Association of Anglican Musicians. His organ and choral recordings appear on the Loft and Gothic labels.
In his semi-retirement, Mel enjoys playing viola (classical and bluegrass), harpsichord, and piano; and enjoys composing, cooking, gardening, and entertaining with his wife, Mary.