Dr. William Tortolano: Lunchtime Organ Series

Join us every first Wednesday for a unique program of organ music performed on our Historic Estey pipe organ. Each month we showcase a different talented organist visiting from around the Northeast!

About Dr. William Tortolano:

A fifty-year faculty member at Saint Michael’s College, the 91 year old is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts. He holds degrees from Boston University, The New England Conservatory of Music, and his Doctorate from L’Université de Montréal. His career included four Visiting Fellowships at Cambridge University, and Yale University.

Dr. Tortolano still considers himself not retired. The recital will explore the many tonal colors of the organ in such diverse compositions as Three Synagogue Preludes by Reuven Kosakoff; American Folk Melodies by the blind jazz musician, George Shearing; Music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, African English; and the Gregorian Chant Suite, Mariales by Lebanese composer, Naji Hakim.

Dr. Tortolano’s work has included over 60 editions of music, six books, and in his younger days, concerts at Notre Dame, Paris, as well as recitals in the United States, Canada, Holland, England, Scotland and Italy. 

About the Estey Opus 300

In 1906 an Estey Pipe Organ was donated to the First Baptist Church by the grandchildren of Estey Organ Company founder and First Baptist Church supporter and congregant Jacob Estey and his wife Desdemona.  Over the years, the organ was rebuilt twice to extend the tonal range of the instrument and keep it up to date, although its original electro-pneumatic parts still work today as they did in 1906. The organ’s last rebuild took place in 1958 by Elroy E. Hewitt, an organ builder from Brattleboro who worked for the Estey Organ Company. He replaced the old console, and put in the one in use today. Today the organ boasts 29 ranks of pipes, three manuals, and four divisions, making possible a full orchestral sound. Having served the congregation of the First Baptist Church for over one hundred years, and now being cared for under the management of Epsilon Spires, the organ has a new life as a concert instrument.