Fall organ festival at Marion Congregational Church Nov. 15

Nov 2, 2015

Organist Steven Young will give the closing recital in the Mini-Organ Festival at the First Congregational Church on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. The recital will feature the church’s historic mechanical-action George S. Hutchings pipe organ.

In addition to works by J. S. Bach, Young will perform music by Vincent Lübeck, Henry M. Dunham, William Bolcom and John Knowles Paine.

Steven Young is the organist and music director at the Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Taunton and serves as professor of music and director of choral activities at Bridgewater State University. Young has performed throughout the United States and Europe as an organ soloist and accompanist and has presented recitals, workshops and clinics for regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. He earned degrees in organ performance from Barrington College and New England Conservatory of Music, as well as a doctor of musical arts from Boston University.

He holds the associate certificate from the American Guild of Organists. In 2009, Young recorded the first volume of the organ works of Henry M. Dunham, a major figure in the Boston area at the beginning of the 20th century, on the AFKA label.

The First Congregational Church in Marion was built in 1841. In 1883, with support from local philanthropist Elizabeth Taber, a new organ by George S. Hutchings was commissioned and installed in 1884. Hutchings was prominent among American organ builders and built organs for the old Boston Music Hall, the Old South Church, and Symphony Hall.

Tickets for the recital are available at the The Bookstall on Front St. in Marion and at the door for $10. For more information and reservations, call 508-748-2067. The First Congregational Church is located at 28 Main St. at the corner of Front and Main in Marion and is handicapped accessible.