| Description: |
The Chattanooga Music Club will present Robert S. MacDonald in a patriotic organ concert Tuesday, July 1, at 7:00 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium. The program will be the second of an annual patriotic 4th of July musical celebration, featuring the restored 1924 Austin pipe organ in the auditorium. The program will include patriotic selections, recognition of members of the Armed Forces, audience participation, and organ accompaniment by Mr. MacDonald to a Laurel and Hardy patriotic silent movie. Members and veterans of the Armed Forces and their families are especially invited to attend. Admiral Vance H. Fry of the CMC will serve as master of ceremonies, and Ron Littlefield, Mayor of Chattanooga, will have the welcome and lead in a special tribute to deceased members of the Armed Forces. The program is open to the public without charge. Robert MacDonald, a native of Massachusetts now living in Fort Worth, Texas, has presented concerts throughout the U.S., playing programs in City Hall, Portland, Maine; Washington National Cathedral; Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.; Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California; Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Aspen Music Festival; several churches in New York City; and with The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. He has played aboard the M.S. Gripsholm, flagship of the Swedish American Line, on extended cruises between New York City and many ports in Europe. During his career, Mr. MacDonald has served in a number of notable positions: Associate Organist/Choir Director of The Riverside Church in New York City; Director of Music and Organist at The Interchurch Center, New York; Director of Music and Organist at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey; staff organist at Radio City Music Hall for eight years; appointed organist at First Presbyterian CHurch in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1989. Mr. MacDonald earned the Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ Performance at Boston University and holds the Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. His varied musical interests have taken him to a number of musical sights--as a concert artist, church organist, choir director, teacher of piano and organ, public school vocal music teacher, director of music for little theater productions, supper club entertainer, director of community choruses, clinician for handbell workshops and master classes for organists and teacher of service playing. He has also been guest clinician/organist at music conferences for the Southern Baptist Music Week, the American Baptist Church Musicians, and the Presbyterian Music Week in Texas. A lifelong member of the American Guild of Organists, he holds the Associate degree of that organization and is a former Dean of their New York Chapter. A number of his writings and music arrangements have been published. For more information, please visit www.chattanoogamusicclub.org. |
| Date: | Tuesday, July 1, 2008 |
| Time: | 7:00pm |
| Created by: | Susan Brenner |
| Updated: | Wednesday, May 21, 2008 3:01pm |