Rodeheaver Series Presents Eschbach In Concert Nov. 2
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Staff Report-
The Rodeheaver Series for the Performing Arts is presenting internationally acclaimed organist Dr. Jesse Eschbach in concert Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Warsaw. Admission is free and the public is invited. Eschbach was born and grew up in the Warsaw/Winona Lake area. He graduated from Warsaw High School in 1969 and studied with Jeanette Perry, organist at First United Methodist Church. He then attended Indiana University, as well as the University of Michigan where he was a student of Robert Glasgow. He completed his formal education during a five-year residency in Paris as a student of Marie-Claire Alain, specializing in early French music in her conservatory class at Rueil-Malmaison where he was awarded both a Prix d’Excellence and a Prix de Virtuosité. As one of the very last students of the legendary Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier, he studied the complete organ works of her husband, Maurice Duruflé, as well as much of the French symphonic repertoire. Since 1986, Eschbach has served on the faculty at the University of North Texas as the full-time professor of organ, instructing performance majors at all levels. His students have dominated the annual San Antonio competition since 1995 and have won prizes in national competitions as well. An active performer until 1998, Eschbach has several CDs to his credit, including a disc recorded at the Cathédrale de Perpignan titled “Music of the Second Empire and Beyond,” released in June 2003. Also released in 2003 was his 800-plus page book detailing the original stoplists of the majority of organs constructed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, based extensively on the Lapresté collection. This research is still in progress, and an expanded second edition will be released in the next few years. The first edition received a very positive “feature review” in the March 2007 issue of “The American Organist.” Likewise, his CD recorded on the 1857 Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ in Perpignan consisting of works by Lemmens, Franck, Gigout, Fessy, Schubert and Couturier garnered high praise in a February 2007 review in “The Diapason.” Recent tours have taken him to Poland and Italy. He has recently completed assignments adjudicating the preliminary rounds of the AGO National Competition, the Canadian International Organ Competition, and in April 2008, judged the finals of the Fort Wayne National Competition. Eschbach has pursued his technical studies with Sheila Paige, director of the Piano and Organ Wellness Clinic. Based on the work of Dorothy Taubman but recast to reflect her own advances in promoting healthy technique, Paige equips her students with technical ease, fluency and facility based on historical ideas known to musicians since at least the beginning of the 19th century. His work with Paige is now reflected in his own pedagogy. Eschbach’s program will include works by Buxtehude and J.S. Bach, with the larger portion devoted to his specialty, French romantic and post-romantic music, as exemplified by the composers Franck, Jehan Alain and Vierne. He will perform on First UMC’s Goulding and Wood pipe organ, Opus 17. It is a two-manual organ with 40 ranks of pipes, believed to be the largest pipe organ in Kosciusko County. More information about the pipe organ, including a complete stoplist, can be found at www.RodeheaverSeries.org The concert is co-sponsored by the Rodeheaver Series for the Performing Arts and First United Methodist Church’s 175th Anniversary Committee, in celebration of the congregation’s 175 years of ministry in the Warsaw area. The Rodeheaver Series for the Performing Arts was established by First United Methodist Church in 1990 to support and foster performing arts and artists in a manner which brings glory to God. Named for the Rodeheaver family, legendary for their development and support of Christian music, and long-time members of Warsaw First United Methodist Church, the Rodeheaver Series has sponsored more than 75 concerts, recitals and theatrical presentations. First United Methodist Church of Warsaw is at the corner of Indiana and Market streets in downtown Warsaw, is handicapped accessible, and provides listening assistance. Those needing directions to the church and those interested in more information on the Rodeheaver Series for the Performing Arts can visit www.RodeheaverSeries.org or call the church office at 574-267-6933.
