Last spring I was approached by organist, colleague, and friend Sharon Peterson to see if my son, Solomon, might be interested in North Shore Chapter AGO’s Organ Scholar Initiative program providing three free organ lessons and a year-long AGO membership. I wasn’t sure – he’s only 10 years old and while he’s been taking piano for a number of years, he’s not super advanced. But I asked Sol, and he was excited to give it a try, especially because he was able to have lessons with Andrea Handley, Organist at Trinity United Methodist Church where I am the Director of Music Ministries. He has heard the organ, played by Andrea, almost every Sunday of his entire life!
Sol wasn’t sure what to expect (and neither was Andrea), but I think they were both pleasantly surprised! In only one lesson, Sol learned how to turn the organ on and off and the names of the keyboards; he calculated how many pipes are used by each stop; and they explored some of the colors of the stops. Andrea was able to adapt some of Sol’s piano music to allow him to play on two manuals with tonic and dominant pedals! Sol has since completed his three lessons and plans to continue. He practices on the Reuter organ at Trinity (pictured) and sometimes in Isaacson Chapel at North Park University. We are both grateful for the encouragement and inspiration Sol has received through this program! Sol says, “I like playing the organ because it is a bit like the piano, and that makes it a little easier. It is really fun because of the different sounds. I especially like the 8ft Ch Tuba – very loud!!”
Julia and Solomon Davids, Skokie, IL
