Building Community Through Music
April 4-6, 2025
Join us for a series of concerts and events to celebrate the pipe organ! All events are free and open to the public.
Arthur Poister Competition in Organ Playing
April 4, 7 p.m.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Syracuse
Three finalists compete for prizes in this prestigious national competition. Attend and cast your vote for the Will O. Headlee Audience Prize.
More information about the competition
Pipe Organ Crawl
April 5, 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Syracuse’s West Side
Area organists demonstrate the impressive instruments at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, State Fairgrounds and St. Marianne Cope Parish at St. Cecilia Church.
Schedule:
9:45 a.m. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 927 Park Ave., Syracuse
Presentation by Robert Searing, director of the Onondaga Historical Association
Demonstration of the E. M. Skinner organ by Michael Guarneiri, first-year organ performance major at Syracuse University
10:45 a.m. Empire Theater, State Fairgrounds
Presentation by Robert Searing
Demonstration of the Wurlitzer theater organ by Joseph Downing, professor emeritus, Syracuse University
11:45 a.m. St. Marianne Cope Parish at St. Cecilia Church, 1001 Wood Rd., Solvay
Presentation by Robert Searing
Demonstration of the Wilcox organ by Anne Spink, graduate organ performance major, Syracuse University
Light refreshments at the conclusion of the program
More information about the Pipe Organ Crawl
Justin Oei, Organ Recital
April 5, 2 p.m.
Setnor Auditorium, Syracuse University
Setnor School of Music graduate organ performance major Justin Oei gives his degree recital on the historic Holtkamp organ in Crouse College.
More information about the organ recital
Building a Global Organ Community Through Film: Q&A with Film Director Will Fraser
April 5, 7 p.m.
Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University
Will Fraser, film director and founder of Fugue State Films, shares excerpts from two decades of work documenting cultural heritage related to the pipe organ and discusses the future of the instrument with a panel of organists. This event is sponsored by Syracuse University Humanities Center’s 2024-25 Syracuse Symposium series on “Community.”
More information about the Q&A
Virtuoso Organist Nathaniel Gumbs
April 6, 4 p.m.
Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University
The Malmgren Concert Series of Hendricks Chapel hosts Nathaniel Gumbs, director of chapel music at Yale University, for a solo organ concert featuring music of Widor, Bach, Reger and Price.
More information on the concert
The Syracuse Pipe Organ Festival is co-sponsored by Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University, Syracuse Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Onondaga Historical Association and the Syracuse University Humanities Center’s Syracuse Symposium Series.