Friday Noonday Organ Recitals

Grace Community Music at Grace Church, Madison presents noontime Friday organ meditations throughout Lent beginning March 7. The recitals begin at 12:15 following brief (5 minute) noonday prayer, and end at 12:45.  The concerts are free and open to the public.  The organ console and pedals will be projected onto the wall for better audience viewing.

Dr. Anne Matlack is organist/choir director at Grace, where Friday Lenten Organ Recitals have been a Madison tradition since the 1950s, founded by her predecessor, Helen E.J. Thomas.  The series opens with Dr, Matlack playing works by Craig Phillips, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sharon Willis and Robert Powell. On March 14, Anthony Hammond from St. Peter’s, Morristown plays a virtuoso program of Bach, Vierne & Saint-Martin. On March 321, Evalyn Cogswell from Calvary Church, Summit, presents a program of women composers.

Acclaimed alto Patricia Ruggles and Dr. Matlack will present their annual tribute to the founder of the series, Helen Thomas, on March 28. The Helen Thomas Memorial Concert: SAINTS! Features music by Hildegard of Bingen, Henry Purcell, R. Wayne Walters and J.S.Bach, with Gerrall Hieser, cello. Lunch will follow this concert for a freewill donation. Organist Megan Coiley from St. George’s, Maplewood will conclude the series with works by Rachel Laurin, Olivier Messaien and more on April 4. On Saturday April 5 at 5 pm, the choirs of Grace will present Evensong with works by Jessica French and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange.

The Grace choir also sings a candlelit Chanted Compline after choir practice Thursdays in Lent, 8:30-8:45 pm to which the community is welcome. Come experience fifteen minutes of candlelight calm to end your day.

As well as celebrating her 35th year as music director at Grace Church, Dr. Matlack is Artistic Director of the acclaimed Harmonium Choral Society. She studied organ with Charles Krigbaum at Yale and David Mulbury at The Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Grace Church is located at 4 Main St. (Rt. 124) in at the corner of Kings Rd. and Route 124.  For more information call the church at 973-377-0106 or visit www.gracemadison.org. The concerts can also be livestreamed or viewed afterwards on their YouTube channel @GraceChurchMadisonNJ.