Spectacular Program

The American Guild of Organists has designated 2008-2009 as the International Year of the Organ, a time when we will exhibit the pride that we share in our chosen instrument. Today’s concert is part of Organ Spectacular, the first global celebration of the “King of Instruments.” Today, more than 250 concerts and recitals are scheduled to take place in the United States, Europe, Australia and other parts of the world, making it the largest one-day celebration of the organ ever held.

We extend our sincere thanks to the corporate sponsors of the International Year of the Organ/Organ Spectacular:

Platinum:   Kuhn Orgelbau AG
Gold:        Rodgers Instruments, Schantz Organ Company, Walker Technical
Silver:       Reuter Organ Company

Additional support is provided by local AGO chapters throughout the United States and abroad. Find out more online at www.agohq.org/os.

About the performers:

Neal Biggers is a native of the Carolinas, and majored in music at Davidson College in North Carolina. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He has also studied organ at the University of Evansville and Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington. Since 2002 he has been the full-time Director of Liturgy and Music at Holy Name Catholic Church in Henderson, KY.

Andrea McFarren Drury is a native of Borger, Texas. She has sung with the Amarillo Opera, Kentucky Opera, Portland Opera, Oklahoma Mozart Festival, the Santa Fe Symphony, and the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy. Ms. Drury currently resides in Evansville with her husband, and teaches choral music at North High School.

Thomas Drury hails from Carlinville, Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Iowa, where he studied piano, organ, and jazz, and a Master of Music degree in piano accompaniment and chamber music from the University of Michigan. He has served as Director of Music Ministries at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Evansville since 2004.

Don Ellington studied music, physics, and chemistry at the University of North Texas in Denton, earning a PhD in Chemistry. Don is a principal scientist at SABIC Innovative Plastics in Mt. Vernon. Don plays trumpet with the Bend in the River Brass Band, the Red Band ReUnion Band, the JET Brass Quintet, and here at Methodist Temple.

Jill Hemminger holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music in Cleveland, Ohio. She has taught instrumental music in Ohio and Indiana and currently teaches K-8 general music classes at St. Philip School. In addition, she teaches private flute lessons and sings in the Evansville Philharmonic Chorus.

Kristin Jones, a native of Seymour, IN, has lived in Evansville since 2000. Her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education is from Indiana University, Bloomington, and her Master's Degree in Organ Performance and Church Music is from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX. She is the organist at St. Lucas United Church of Christ, and Chancel Choir Director at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, both in Evansville.

Beverly Lacy holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Murray State University and the Master of Music in Church Music from the University of Evansville. She is the organist at the Methodist Temple, a position she has held for forty years.

Dr. Edwin Lacy has recently retired from full-time teaching at the University of Evansville, after a career of forty-eight years, including forty-one years at UE. He continues as principal bassoonist and saxophone soloist of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.

Helen Skuggedal Reed has lived in Evansville since 1975. A graduate of Dalhousie University and the University of Michigan, she is principal harpsichordist for the Evansville Philharmonic and co-organist of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. She serves as Education Convener for the Evansville AGO.

Elizabeth Robertson attended the Eastman School of Music and Michigan State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics. She also holds a Master of Music and a Doctor of Music in Oboe Literature and Performance from Indiana University. She has been Principal Oboe of the Evansville Philharmonic since 1995, and also serves as Consortium Instructor of Oboe at the University of Evansville and as a member of the Harlaxton Quintet.

Timothy Zifer holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Ohio University and a Master of Music and a doctorate in trumpet performance from Louisiana State University. He serves UE as professor of trumpet, director of jazz studies, and degree advisor and director of the music management program.. He is also principal trumpet of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.