Canon John Bruce Memorial Concerts

October 20, 2012 - Stephen Tharp

One of the greatest concert organists of our age, Tharp will bring his exemplary musical expertise to the Abbey to jump-start the 2012-2013 season of the Abbey’s annual Canon John O. Bruce Organ Concert Series.

Also a recording artist, Tharp earned his BA degree from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill., and his MM from Northwestern University, Chicago. Hailed by such sources as “The New York Times” and “The Dallas Morning News,” as well as having played more than 1,300 concerts the world over, Tharp holds a reputation as the most-traveled musician within this genre in his generation.

Tharp is currently Artist-in-Residence at Grace Church (Episcopal) in New York City.

March 16, 2013 - Christopher Houlihan

An honors graduate of Connecticut’s Trinity College with a graduate degree from the Juilliard School in New York, Houlihan is Artist-in-Residence at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in New York. Back by popular demand, he will display his musical talent at the Abbey for the second performance in the 2012-2013 season of the Abbey’s annual Canon John O. Bruce Organ Concert Series.

Houlihan has performed both within the United States and in Europe and is widely known as one of the best young American organists of our time. Houlihan is especially adept at technical virtuosity coupled with a sensitive understanding of emotions within the pieces he plays.

April 20, 2013 - Michael Hey

Known throughout the Midwest and on the East Coast, Hey has performed numerous organ and piano concerts throughout the years. This spring he will bring his gift of music to the Abbey for the third and final performance of the 2012-2013 season of the Abbey’s annual Canon John O. Bruce Organ Concert Series.

Hey enjoys transcribing and premiering music for both organ and piano. A multi-talented music student, Hey is in his third year at Juilliard studying with the acclaimed Paul Jacobs, Grammy Award-winning chairman of the organ department.

Hey is a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists and currently serves as assisting organist at a Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, N.Y.