Dr. Stephen Price is joined by students, colleagues, and friends of the UW Organ Studies program in this concert of spooky organ classics and Halloween fun.
Program
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Stef Price, Fritts Organ; Tyleen Stults, Orgelkit; Cole Henslee; Calcant
Erlkönig D.328 – Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Cee Adamson, mezzo-soprano; Stef Price
Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 558 – Johann Sebastian Bach
Cole Henslee
Hexenlied (Witches’ Song) Op.8, No.8 – Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Isabelle Villanueva, mezzo-soprano; Stef Price
Prelude on “Ein feste Burg” – Text / Tune: Martin Luther (1483-1546)
"Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us..." (vs. 3)
Improvisation by Tyleen Stults
“Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” – Organ version by Helmut Walcha (1907-1991)
Tyleen Stults
*Pumpkin Carol: “The Twelve Days of Halloween”
Audience Participation
Fantasia on Mission Impossible – Lalo Schifrin (b. 1932) transcribed by Paul Ayres
Stef Price
“Jabba the Hutt” – John Williams (b. 1932) arranged by Scott Sutherland
Cole Henslee, tuba; Stef Price
“Poor Unfortunate Souls”
Lyrics: Howard Ashman (1950-1991) / Music: Alan Menken (b. 1942)
Savannah Rutherford, mezzo-soprano; Stef Price
Toccata in B minor – Eugène Gigout (1844-1925)
Tyleen Stults
Lyrics
The Twelve Days of Halloween
Lyrics: Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000) / Music: Frederic Austin (1872-1952)
On the twelfth day of Halloween, my true love gave to me,
- An owl in an old, dead tree.
- Two trick-or-treaters,
- Three black cats,
Interlude
- Four skeletons,
- Five scary spooks,
- Six goblins gobbling,
Interlude
- Seven pumpkins glowing,
- Eight monsters shrieking,
- Nine ghosts-a-booing
Interlude
- Ten ghouls-a-groaning,
- Eleven masks-a-leering,
- Twelve bats-a-flying,
Biography
STEPHEN “Stef” C. PRICE recently joined the music faculty at the University of Washington (Seattle) as the inaugural Paul B. Fritts Faculty Fellow and Artist-in-Residence and head of organ studies beginning in September 2023. Dr. Price teaches Organ performance, Church music, and Keyboard Harmony courses. In addition, he leads ongoing initiatives toward the development and revitalization efforts of the UW program, continuing the legacy of his predecessor, Dr. Carole Terry.
Several initiatives have taken place under his leadership, including reinstating the Annual Walker-Ames Halloween Organ Concert, organizing masterclasses by nationally renowned guest artists, and leading University projects connecting donors to the Organ program and School of Music. Dr. Price also organizes yearly rental agreements with Seattle churches and the School of Music, allowing students to utilize the eclectic range of organs available in the city.
In the formative years of study, he served on the music ministry staff at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church and as an Organ Scholar at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Buffalo, New York. Subsequently, he attended Western Connecticut State University (Danbury, CT) and concurrently served as Organ Scholar at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on the Green (Norwalk, CT). Following undergraduate studies, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to Toulouse, France, where he studied "Historical and Modern" performance practices of French Organ Music. Upon returning to the States, he enrolled at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), receiving the Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees.
In addition, he competed and garnered awards in international competitions, including the Franz Schmidt Organ Competition (Austria), the André Marchal Organ Competition (France), and the Canadian International Organ Competition (Montreal).
Following his graduate studies, he accepted a full-time position as Associate Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church, San Diego, California (2015-17). He then received an Assistant Teaching Professorship at Ball State University (Muncie, IN). During his appointment (2018-2023), he taught Organ performance, Church music, Music History, and Music Theory courses. In addition, he served as coordinator for the Sursa American Organ Competition, a national event open to High School and Pre-Professional organists hosted at Ball State.
His professional activity includes presentations on Pedagogy, Organ Literature, and Hymn Playing for Chapters of the American Guild of Organists. As a performer, he has given concerts around the U.S., including the recent premiere of Psalm 23 for Organ, composed by Dr. Eurydice Osterman for the 2024 AGO National Convention in San Francisco. He has participated as a juror for competitions, including the National Organ Playing Competition (Fort Wayne, IN); the Strader Organ Scholarship Competition (University of Cincinnati); and the 2024 Barlow Prize Endowment for Music Competition – Organ (Snowbird, UT).
The 2024-2025 season includes appearances at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral (Victoria, B.C.), Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Seattle, WA), Loyola University (Chicago, IL), and a juror for the Taylor National Organ Competition (Atlanta, GA). Additionally, Michael Barone has featured recordings and live performances on the Pipedreams Broadcast on NPR.
Teachers: Andrew Scanlon, Stephen Roberts, Vince Edwards, Michel Bouvard, Jan Willem Jansen, Bruce Neswick, Wilma Jensen, and Janette Fishell.
Dr. Price’s debut album, Paris Impact Organ Suites, is released on the Raven recording label. He is represented by Seven Eight Artists: SevenEightArtists.com/price