Wednesday, January 15, 2003
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Wednesday, January 15, 2003 |
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Organist Ken Cowan performs at Spivey Hall Organist Ken Cowan, an artist praised by The American Organist for his "technical mastery, expressivity, musicality and sheer brilliance," performs on Spivey Hall's famed Albert Schweitzer Memorial Organ in a recital Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8:15 p.m. In recent years, Mr. Cowan has quickly become one of the most sought-after young organists in North America. He has already performed solo recitals across the United States and Canada, and has been featured at conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Royal Canadian College of Organists. Cowan has won numerous awards, including first prizes at the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Competition and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music National Competition. Currently Cowan serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and is the Associate Organist and Artist-in- Residence at Saint Bartholomew's Church, in New York City. A native of Thorold, Ontario, Canada, Cowan received the Master's degree and Artist Diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, studying organ with Thomas Murray. Prior to attending Yale, he graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with John Weaver. As a boy, Mr. Cowan first took organ lessons from his father, organist David Cowan, then during his high school years he studied with James Bigham in Buffalo, NY. Previous positions have included Assistant Organist posts at St. James Episcopal Church and the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in New York City, and assisting organist at Saint Clement's Church in Philadelphia. He has also been on the roster of Associate Organists for the famous Wanamaker Grand Court organ in Philadelphia. In 1997, Cowan completed a compact disc recording of the Historic 1926 Austin organ in Irvine Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and selections from that recording have been featured on the National Public Radio program Pipedreams. His recording of the historic Ernest M. Skinner organ at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church, Detroit, Michigan and the inaugural recording of the new Austin organ at St. Mary's college, Moraga, California are currently available on the JAV label. In April 1999, he joined organist Justin Bischof in the world premiere recording of American composer Aaron Miller's Double Concerto for organ, recorded with the Zurich Symphony Orchestra on the Kleuker organ in the Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland. His most recent release on the JAV label is a disc of Organ Favorites performed on the fully restored 1930 Skinner organ at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, Penn. Ken Cowan performs at Clayton State's Spivey Hall on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8:15 p.m. Tickets for this performance are $25. To purchase tickets, phone the Spivey Hall Ticket Office at 770- 961-3683. |
