The Recorder – Brick Church Music Series kicks off the fall season with the famous organist

DEERFIELD — ‘The Brick Church’ musical series is set to kick off the fall season at Deerfield’s First Church with performances by a world-famous organist.

Deerfield’s first church welcomes Nathan Laube to town on Sunday at 3pm. This marks the start of his 17th fall schedule for Brick Church.

Gene Pittman-Turner, the church’s artistic director, said the show took years to produce because Laube had signed a performance deal with the church years ago, but the pandemic forced the cancellation of the concert. The deal stemmed from when Laube was in town to see Monica Chows Barney, a famous organist from western Massachusetts, he approached the organ and “played many songs from memory”. is emitting At that moment, Pittman-Turner wanted Laube to give a full concert at Deerfield.

“I got hooked on him. It took me two years to get a deal out of him, and then the pandemic hit,” said Pittman-Turner.

Pittman-Turner said Laube will perform works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Karl Böhm, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn. She said his willingness to play at Deerfield shows his passion for playing, even though he is an organ scholar and a world-renowned performer.

“He is often asked to serve on the jury of international organ competitions…and as a performer and educator he is a regular guest at prestigious music festivals around the world.” said Pittman Turner. “He’s very articulate and used to public speaking. Often musicians and others don’t speak with clarity or passion, but he does.”

Laube plays on the church’s Richards Folks Organ, which Pittman Turner called “the jewel of the organ.”

“It’s a small organ compared to the ones he plays around the world, but he appreciates the quality,” she said. “I think the people who actually come are organists who appreciate the qualities that went into making this particular organ.”

Laube is Associate Professor of Organ at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and International Consultant in Organ Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory of Music in England.

The concert begins at 3:00 pm at the First Church of Deerfield at 71 Old Main St. Masks are optional and all proceeds go to the church. Following the concert, a reception will be held at Deerfield Academy’s Caswell Library. This library is located in the main school building, just behind the church.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.