Dr. Mary Beth Molenaar
Now that I am retiring as director of the Music Academy at Northwestern, I have time to return to more creative pursuits – including playing the organ and making art! I started playing organ for my church as a young teenager – helping out a few Sundays a month. The church had a small tracker organ that was later replaced by a larger Wicks organ.
In addition to piano, I studied organ and harpsichord at St. Cloud State in Minnesota, and later returned to give faculty and guest artist organ recitals there. While completing my doctoral degree in piano at Northwestern, I enjoyed studying organ with Wolfgang Rübsam. But a demanding job and family responsibilities after graduation have limited my organ work to occasional subbing.
I’ve come full-circle as I am once again playing a Wicks organ a few Sundays a month – this time at Winnetka Covenant. And thanks to Bob Woodworth’s invitation I have rejoined AGO and look forward to meeting more of you!