May 16, 2002

Organist John C. Bostron Will Perform on Historic Organ

Organist John C. Bostron will perform a program of Baroque era and contemporary organ music at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 6, at the Hemingway Western Studies Center, located east of the library on the Boise State University campus. In addition to showcasing this Boise organist who has won numerous honors and awards, the concert will provide an opportunity to enjoy the unique sounds of one of the most distinctive, cathedral quality organs in the Pacific Northwest.

Admission at the door is $5 adults, $3 seniors and free to students of all ages and Boise State faculty and staff.

Bostron’s program will include J.S. Bach’s "Passacaglia C Minor, BWV 582," Hugo Distler’s "Partita on Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland," Aldexandre Guilmant’s "Sonata No. 3" and John Rutter’s "Suite Antique for Flute and Organ." Karlin Coolidge, a flutist with the Boise Philharmonic and the Darkwood Consort, will perform with Bostron on the last piece. Bostron is an adjunct professor of organ at Boise State. He is also on the faculty at Albertson College of Idaho, where he teaches aural skills, is the organist at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Boise and the musical director for the Actors’ Guild Community Theatre. Additionally he works as an accompanist for Opera Idaho’s resident company and has performed as an actor at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

Bostron earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition in 1998 from Boise State and a master’s degree in organ performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in 2000. He has received numerous awards and honors including induction into the ASBSU Hall of Fame for contributions in performing arts and the Dorothy DeCourt prize in organ at Peabody.

The historic organ on which Bostron will perform was installed in 1953, a donation by Laura Moore Cunningham, in memory of J.W. Cunningham. Back then, the building that is now the Hemingway Center housed the music department.

Built by Austin Organs of Hartford, Conn., the organ is uniquely designed in that the tone qualities of its 2,631 pipes are well suited to diverse registers of music from the 1600s to modern times, from French to English and German styles. The organ received national coverage in music publications at the time.

Some of the world’s most famous organists have performed on the organ, including Marie Claire Alain of France, Ferdnando Germani of The Vatican, Carl Weinrich of Princeton University, E. Power Biggs, and Alexander Schreiner of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Bostron’s concert is sponsored by the Boise State music department. For more information call 426-3980.

Contact:
James Cook
Music department
425-1773