Perkins Chapel Wedding Music
|
|
Perkins Chapel Wedding Music |
|
BENJAMIN A KOLODZIEJ, Organist
Benjamin Kolodziej serves as Chapel Organist at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, where he has been an adjunct lecturer in sacred music at Perkins School of Theology and where he plays organ for 150 weddings, memorials, and civic events a year at historic Perkins Chapel. Since 1999 he has also been Organist and Director of Worship at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX, where he oversees an active music ministry including several choirs and two concert series.
Graduating with an undergraduate degree in organ performance in 1998, Mr Kolodziej holds Master of Sacred Music and Master of Theological Studies degrees from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, where he studied organ with Robert Anderson, George Baker, and Larry Palmer. He won first place in the Dallas AGO Young Organist Competition and was awarded the hymn playing prize at the William B Hall Organ Competition. He is a frequent organist for hymn festivals and organ concerts, having performed many times in the UK as well as in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In addition to many performances throughout Texas, he has also performed at historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA, Washington National Cathedral, and St Thomas Church in New York City. In addition to serious organ performance, he enjoys performing for shows and accompanying plays on the Wurlitzer theatre organ recently installed at the McKinney Performing Arts Center in McKinney, TX.
Mr Kolodziej has published articles in The Chorister, Concordia Theological Quarterly, The Hymn, Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, The American Organist, Theatre Organ and Methodist History, maintaining a scholarly interest in liturgical, hymnological, and theological history and practices. He is presently writing for the new Lutheran Service Book Hymnal Companion to be published in 2011 by Concordia Publishing House. His chapter entitled "Organ Music in the Liturgy in the Twentieth Century" will be published next year by Routledge in a Festschrift honoring Dr Robert T Anderson.
He is currently Dean of the Dallas Chapter--American Guild of Organists.
++++++
Benjamin Kolodziej strives to perform concerts and hymn festivals which both educate and entertain. His hymn festivals always seek to enliven the historic music of the Church, bringing it to life for the congregation, while his concerts feature verbal commentary about the music and the instrument.
********************************************
CONCERT AUDIO SAMPLES:
(All recorded live in concert.)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, JS Bach (recorded at Washington National Cathedral)
"Simple Gifts" from Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copland, arr. Elizabeth Fitts (recorded at St Philip's Cathedral, Atlanta)
"Marche Pontificale," from Organ Symphony #1, Opus 13, No. 1., Charles-Marie Widor (recorded at St Philip's Cathedral, Atlanta)
Trio Sonata #1 in Eb major, JS Bach (recorded at St Otmarsberg Abbey, Uznach, Switzerland)
Contrapunctus in French style, from Art of Fugue, JS Bach (recorded at Peterskirche, Vienna, Austria)
March on a Theme of Handel "Lift Up Your Heads," Alexandre Guilmant (recorded at First Presbyterian Church, Texarkana, AR)
Concert Variations on "Old Hundredth," John Knowles Paine (recorded at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Desoto, TX)
Variations on "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest," Maurice Duruflé (recorded at St Paul Lutheran Church, Austin, TX)
Improvisation on PICARDY, Benjamin Kolodziej (recorded at Trinity Episcopal Church, Tulsa)