Our musician for our March 1, 2024 First Friday Concert is our very own John Gouwens. Join us at St. Paul’s (1000 Michigan Avenue) at 12:10 p.m. for what is sure to be a lively performance.

John Gouwens served as Organist and Carillonneur at Culver Academies from 1980 to 2019. He is now Organist and Choirmaster at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Carillonneur at The Presbyterian Church, both here in La Porte. He is very active in every aspect of the carillon field, including composing and arranging music, authoring a method book for teaching, performing throughout North America and Europe, and consulting on carillon installations (including The Children’s Carillon at The Presbyterian Church). He studied organ at Indiana University (with Clyde Holloway), The University of Michigan (with Robert Glasgow and Robert Clark), and at The University of Kansas. At the latter, his main emphasis, ultimately, was carillon, which he studied with Albert Gerken. He proceeded directly from Kansas to his position at Culver. He has made eight recital tours in Europe, most recently in the summer of 2023, playing recitals in The Netherlands, Belgium, and Poland.

Program

Overture, from The Occasional Oratorio................................. George Frideric Handel (1746) | Transcribed by Noel Rawsthorne | (1685–1759)
Psalm Prelude, Set 1, Op. 32, No. 1....................................... Herbert Howells. (1915) (1892–1983)
Chorale Prelude from Opus 122................................................ Johannes Brahms. (1896) } O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded (Hymn 168) | (1833–1897)

Eclogue, Op. 10 for piano and strings........................................ Gerald Finzi. (1927) | (Transcribed by Robert Gower) | (1901–1956)

Prelude and Fugue in E-Flat, Op. 99, No. 3................................... Camille Saint-Saëns
Hymn and Improvisation: [Tune to be announced]........................ to be announced
Concerto for Harpsichord in D, S. 1054: 1. Allegro.................. Johann Sebastian Bach. (Transcribed by Bernard Winsemius) | (1685-1750)

Further recitals by John Gouwens

Sunday, March 17, 4:00pm – Organ Recital at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Valparaiso, Indiana

Sunday, May 19, 3:00pm – Carillon Recital at The Presbyterian Church, La Porte

Sunday, July 7, 2024, 7:00pm – (all-American) Carillon Recital at The Presbyterian Church, La Porte

Sunday, September 1, 7:00pm – Carillon Recital at The Presbyterian Church, La Porte

Sunday, December 1, 3:00pm – Carillon Recital at The Presbyterian Church, La Porte