Cathedral concerts to feature new organ, First concert set for Oct. 5

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Sept. 27, 2007

The new organ at Cathedral of the Epiphany will fill the church with music during a yearlong concert series beginning next week.

Jennifer Pascual, DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts), the director of music at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in New York City, will kick off the 2007-2008 Organ Dedication Inaugural Year Concert Series.

"The concerts are part of the inaugural year celebration of the new organ that was installed this past fall," said Matthew Geerlings, director of music and liturgy at Cathedral. "We dedicated the organ at the end of May on Memorial Day weekend. As part of the ongoing celebration we have a year's worth concerts taking place. There is something going on almost every month."

The first concert will be 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.

"The role of the Cathedral is not only as a parish church and the mother church of the diocese, but it is also a community center for the arts, historically," said Geerlings. "We are keeping that tradition alive by doing these concerts."

Pascual has served as organist and choir director for churches in the Dioceses of St. Augustine, Fla. and Rochester, N.Y. and the Archdioceses of Newark, N.J. and New York City. She has served at three Roman Catholic Cathedrals and has performed in Italy, Austria, the Phillippines and the United States.

"She is a wonderfully talented artist and musician," said Geerlings. "She is a younger performer, so I am happy she will be here to kick off the inaugural year. She will be presenting some more modern music for the organ."

This will be one of eight concerts planned throughout the next 12 months. The other concerts are slated for Nov. 29, Dec. 16, Feb. 1, March 19, April 18, May 23 and Sept. 19.

All of the artists who will perform are high quality artists, he said.

The concerts are classified in three levels - visiting artist series, Cathedral organist series and local artist series. There will be two visiting artists and three colleagues of Geerlings from other Cathedrals will play in concert. The local artist series will feature Geerlings, his wife, Cara, and the choirs at the Cathedral. The types of music at the concerts will vary.

"The organ has more repertoire written for it than any other instrument," said Geerlings. "The options out there are limitless."

The concert series is partially funded by the MA Martin Everist Foundation in memory of Margaret Ann Everist, a longtime parishioner at the Cathedral.

"She passed away a couple of years ago," said Geerlings. "She was a wonderful supporter of the fine arts in Sioux City and a major contributor to the organ. These concerts are also, in a way, in her memory and in her honor for what she was able to do for us here at Cathedral."

All of the concerts are free and open to the public. There will be a freewill offering taken at the end of the concert.

"The concert is meant as a celebration of the new instrument," said Geerlings. "It is an opportunity for people in the community to come out and hear it. Hear it both as a concert instrument and also as an instrument that is used in services and to accompany choirs."

Anyone interested in more information about the concert series should contact Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City (712) 255-1637.