Next month, Kansas City will host the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists. Several new works will be premiered during the convention. While many of these works have been commissioned, composition competition winners will also be featured.
Distinguished Composer Pamela Decker has created The Seven Last Words and Triumph of Christ for solo organ and dancers. Other works are as follows.
Pieces reflecting on World War I:
- Remembering for solo organ by Kansas City native Emma Lou Diemer
- Cartes Postales de la Guerre (Postcards from the War) for organ and mezzo-soprano by Frank Ferko
- Everyone Sang for organ and choir by Sir James MacMillan
Other works for solo organ include:
- O Antiphon Sequence by Cecilia McDowall
- The Hands of Time by Jean-Baptiste Robin
- Totem Poles by Chen Yi
- Sonata No. 1 (intended for the intermediate organist) by Benjamin Cornelius-Bates
- Re-Formation (after Bach) by Mark Kurtz, winner of the AGO/Marilyn Mason Award in Organ Composition
Other choral works include:
- Mirror Cantata by Forrest Pierce
- Walk with Me, Lord by Rosephanye Powell
- The Wedding of Solomon by Anthony Maglione
- As One by Tarik O’Regan
- Deep River by Mary Beth Bennett, winner of the AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition
The convention will conclude with the North American premiere of Thierry Escaich’s organ concerto entitled Quatre Visage de Temps.
Many events are open to the public! For specific times and locations, visit agokc2018.com.
–Dr. Sarah Lyons, Promotions Chair
