John Hirten will present a concert at Christ Episcopal church, Saturday July 15th at 7:30 p.m. Earlier, from 2-4 p.m. he will give a workshop on improvisation. See the flyers below this post…
A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area since 1988, John Karl Hirten is well known to audiences throughout the region, having performed regularly at such series as Noontime Concerts, Music at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grace Cathedral, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley, and elsewhere. In connection with the San Francisco Opera’s 2002 production of Messiaen’s Saint Françoise d’Assise, he performed a recital of the composer’s music at the National Shrine of St. Francis in San Francisco. He has also appeared as organist with the San Francisco Symphony, the Oakland Ballet, the Berkeley Symphony, and American Bach Soloists, among others. He has also performed in venues throughout the country and in Europe. In 2006, he was a finalist in the American Guild of Organists National Competition in Organ Improvisation.
From 1997 until 2016, He performed over 300 monthly recitals at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor on the historic E. M. Skinner organ there. Since 1995, he has been Director of Music at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Belvedere (Marin County).
A composer of a wide range of liturgical, sacred and secular works, John Karl Hirten’s music has been featured on Minnesota Public Radio’s Pipedreams program, at conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians. His hymn tunes have won awards and his choral music is also regularly performed in churches and concert venues around the world.
His most recent work is a setting of Ein fest Burg (A Mighty Fortress), commissioned by organist Jonathan Dimmock, a complete Anglican Evening Service for choir and organ, commissioned by All Saints Church in Palo Alto, California, and Inscriptions, a piece for orchestra commissioned by the Mill Valley Philharmonic.
John Karl Hirten has a Master of Music degree in organ performance from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he studied with Paul-Martin Maki and Frederick Swann. Before that, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Classical Languages from Fordham University.
Organ Recital by John Karl Hirten
Christ Episcopal Church, Eureka, CA
July 15, 2017 – 7:30 PM
Processional in E-flat David N. Johnson (1922-1987)
Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 148 Dieterich Buxtehude (c1637-1707)
Sicilienne Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759-1824)
Arr. Robert Gower
O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 656 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Pastorale in E major, Op. 19 César Franck (1822-1890)
Ein feste Burg (2017) John Karl Hirten (b. 1956)
Pavane pour une infante défunte Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Arr. Bryan Hesford (1930-1996)
Weeping Willow Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Arr. E. Power Biggs
Improvisation on Names of Audience Members
Carillon-Sortie Henri Mulet (1878-1967)
Ca.60 minutes
