Media Artist and Co-owner of Pro-Motion Music
Jeannine: The creative process for the development of our organ and media events began summer of 2007, when I was invited to present a concert at the Region VIII Convention of the American Guild of Organists. Already known for my unique organ programs, when the chair of the convention program committee called to ask if I would perform on the convention, he specifically asked for an organ concert incorporating media. Knowing also that I had an interest in early American organ music, the venue for my performance was the historic Old Church in Portland, Oregon with an 1863 Hook and Hastings organ. This opportunity provided the catalyst that resulted in our first organ and media event, From Sea to Shining Sea.
David: Jeannine had the basis for an interesting organ concert featuring the organ music of early America. However, as a visual person, I often find the traditional format for organ concerts rather daunting: ninety minutes of organ music interspersed with a few words from the artist about various composers or compositional techniques. It was my desire to make this requested "organ and media concert" something a visual person would not only enjoy, but learn from and give rave reviews. Jeannine and I needed to merge our ideas to create something new for the organ world! First we needed a story I could illustrate.
J: My dissertation was on the organists of early America. From my research, I had more than the interesting organ music of early America, I also had plenty of intriguing stories about the first organists in the colonies and how organ music made its way into the fabric of our country. Armed with stories gleaned from careful historical research, I created a story I would narrate to bring to life this little-known organ music.
D: With the story and music in hand, I began the quest to find historically accurate and descriptive images to enhance Jeannine's music and storyline. With today's technology and the information available on the worldwide web, I found images of everything from George Washington crossing the Delaware to oxcarts to early church services to historic organs. It was a detailed and lengthy process!
J: Finally, we merged our ideas--my stories and organ music with David's visuals. We had our program. However, ever the visual person, David wanted a greater connection with the audience.
D: The most intriguing thing for a person attending an organ concert is to be able to watch the organist at work. Specifically people like to watch the organist's feet! Yet how often is that possible? Rarely! And yet, in my mind that is what audiences need to keep them interested.
By using 21st-century technology in our shows, (cameras, a projector, a digital video fader and a computer), I have given every audience member a front-row seat. They are now able to see every movement Jeannine makes with her feet and the hands to create the music they hear. (I can honestly say that people are glued to the screen at our "un-potted-palm" events.
J: Yes, I now perform with three different cameras aimed at me: one on my hands, one on my feet and one on me as the narrator of the storyline. We are changing the way people experience organ concerts!
D: Ever the creator, Jeannine was not content with one organ and media show. After playing two back-to-back concerts on the Abbey Bach Festival featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons, the plan for our newest organ and media event was set in motion.
The organ at the Abbey is in the back of the church high above the audience in an upper balcony. Again, I had the "organ concert experience" of hearing the majestic organ music of the Bach family, but I had no "buy-in" with Jeannine as the artist. She was simply too far removed. Ah…but if we had projected her playing on a large screen in the front of the church and had a story to make the Bach family come alive….well, now that would be an organ concert worth inviting anyone to attend.
J: The result--a new concert! A new way to discover the greatest composer who ever lived. A new way to experience the organ music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his talented family.
D: We spent over a year in research and refinement. There is more than a little information and dozens of directions one can go to tell the story of Bach. In fact the first run through we had was 3 hours and 40 minutes long. One of our friends exclaimed "wars have been fought in less time than that!" However, by utilizing the resources of a "think tank", the show became an exquisite concert experience.
J: Now our challenge is to describe this unique new concert concept to concert promoters and sponsors. We hope to encourage them to program creatively and to get out of the "potted-palm mode."
As Paul Klemme, concert organizer of the St. Paul's Evensong Series so aptly described Bach and Sons:
"Your idea of bringing Bach's music to so many people in an informative and accessible way is fantastic.
It was just what I was hoping for and
I know many people came away inspired and renewed."
Jeannine: The creative process for the development of our organ and media events began summer of 2007, when I was invited to present a concert at the Region VIII Convention of the American Guild of Organists. Already known for my unique organ programs, when the chair of the convention program committee called to ask if I would perform on the convention, he specifically asked for an organ concert incorporating media. Knowing also that I had an interest in early American organ music, the venue for my performance was the historic Old Church in Portland, Oregon with an 1863 Hook and Hastings organ. This opportunity provided the catalyst that resulted in our first organ and media event, From Sea to Shining Sea.
David: Jeannine had the basis for an interesting organ concert featuring the organ music of early America. However, as a visual person, I often find the traditional format for organ concerts rather daunting: ninety minutes of organ music interspersed with a few words from the artist about various composers or compositional techniques. It was my desire to make this requested "organ and media concert" something a visual person would not only enjoy, but learn from and give rave reviews. Jeannine and I needed to merge our ideas to create something new for the organ world! First we needed a story I could illustrate.
J: My dissertation was on the organists of early America. From my research, I had more than the interesting organ music of early America, I also had plenty of intriguing stories about the first organists in the colonies and how organ music made its way into the fabric of our country. Armed with stories gleaned from careful historical research, I created a story I would narrate to bring to life this little-known organ music.
D: With the story and music in hand, I began the quest to find historically accurate and descriptive images to enhance Jeannine's music and storyline. With today's technology and the information available on the worldwide web, I found images of everything from George Washington crossing the Delaware to oxcarts to early church services to historic organs. It was a detailed and lengthy process!
J: Finally, we merged our ideas--my stories and organ music with David's visuals. We had our program. However, ever the visual person, David wanted a greater connection with the audience.
D: The most intriguing thing for a person attending an organ concert is to be able to watch the organist at work. Specifically people like to watch the organist's feet! Yet how often is that possible? Rarely! And yet, in my mind that is what audiences need to keep them interested.
By using 21st-century technology in our shows, (cameras, a projector, a digital video fader and a computer), I have given every audience member a front-row seat. They are now able to see every movement Jeannine makes with her feet and the hands to create the music they hear. (I can honestly say that people are glued to the screen at our "un-potted-palm" events.
J: Yes, I now perform with three different cameras aimed at me: one on my hands, one on my feet and one on me as the narrator of the storyline. We are changing the way people experience organ concerts!
D: Ever the creator, Jeannine was not content with one organ and media show. After playing two back-to-back concerts on the Abbey Bach Festival featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons, the plan for our newest organ and media event was set in motion.
The organ at the Abbey is in the back of the church high above the audience in an upper balcony. Again, I had the "organ concert experience" of hearing the majestic organ music of the Bach family, but I had no "buy-in" with Jeannine as the artist. She was simply too far removed. Ah…but if we had projected her playing on a large screen in the front of the church and had a story to make the Bach family come alive….well, now that would be an organ concert worth inviting anyone to attend.
J: The result--a new concert! A new way to discover the greatest composer who ever lived. A new way to experience the organ music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his talented family.
D: We spent over a year in research and refinement. There is more than a little information and dozens of directions one can go to tell the story of Bach. In fact the first run through we had was 3 hours and 40 minutes long. One of our friends exclaimed "wars have been fought in less time than that!" However, by utilizing the resources of a "think tank", the show became an exquisite concert experience.
J: Now our challenge is to describe this unique new concert concept to concert promoters and sponsors. We hope to encourage them to program creatively and to get out of the "potted-palm mode."
As Paul Klemme, concert organizer of the St. Paul's Evensong Series so aptly described Bach and Sons:
"Your idea of bringing Bach's music to so many people in an informative and accessible way is fantastic.
It was just what I was hoping for and
I know many people came away inspired and renewed."