Lunchtime Pipe Organ Series: Gavin Klein

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 Gavin Klein is an organist, pianist, and harpsichordist from Bolton, Ma. He is currently a senior at Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton. He first found his love for the organ after hearing some of the most famous organs of Europe on vacation when he was very young. With a  background in early music and keyboard studies since he was four, Gavin took on the organ at the age of 12, and is currently an organ student of C. Henry Mason, director of music at Immaculate Conception Parish in Worcester, Ma. Since then, he has given performances in both the US and Europe. He is a member of both the American Guild of Organists, and the Organ Historical Society.

Gavin currently serves as organist at a number of different churches, but devotes most of his time playing for the Sisters of St. Benedict Center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at St. Ann's House in Still River, Ma. In 2020, he was given the position of Artist in Residence at the Harvard Historical Society, in Harvard, Ma where he regularly gives monthly concerts. He is also a choir member at All Saints Episcopal Church in Worcester.

Gavin spends much of his free time composing sacred music and has a deep love for Gregorian chant. He is currently working on a Mass setting inspired by the works of Giovanni Palestrina.

In this recital, Gavin will be showcasing music from around Europe from the Renaissance to Modern musical periods.

Musical Programme for Wednesday, October 6th:

Intrada- Grayson Ives

Concerto in B Minor after Vivaldi- Johann Gottfried Walther Lv 133

i. Allegro

ii. Adagio

iii. Allegro

Prelude and Fugue in E Minor- JS Bach BWV 533

Four Variations on Salve Mater- Karl Peter Schweiz

Adagio in E Major- Frank Bridge

No.2 from “The Cuckoo” - Joseph Heinz

Finale- Organ Sonata in D Minor Op.65 No.6- Felix Mendelssohn

Toccata- Eugene Gigout

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.