Oct 11, 2002 5 min read

Local residents are so excited about renowned organ virtuoso Diane Bish’s return visit to Uniontown that they bought all tickets to Tuesday’s concert at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church weeks in advance. “The response has been phenomenal,’ said the Rev. Paul N. Frank Jr., pastor. “We’ve sold 400 tickets.’

The host of “The Joy of Music’ television series, which plays weekly to 300 million international viewers, will appear at St. Paul’s Church, located at 71 N. Gallatin Ave. at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Bish previously appeared in Uniontown on April 7, 2000, when she performed at Trinity United Presbyterian Church. Trinity’s congregation still raves about Bish’s performance. “The best we ever had,’ one woman said.

St. Paul’s congregation made the request to have Bish appear at their church because they wanted to hear her play its new 21-rank Schantz Pipe Organ, which was dedicated this past April.

“She’s the premier organist of our generation,’ said Rev. Frank. “We’re very blessed to have the world’s greatest living organist here.’

Interviewed by phone at her office in Indiana, Bish remembers her visit to Uniontown fondly.

“It was very friendly. I’m never anywhere too long, but I thought the audience was enthusiastic and the people very friendly,’ she said.

Asked about returning to the city, Bish commented, “I’m looking forward to it.”

Critically acclaimed for her playing, Bish performs 30 to 40 concerts a year. In 1989, she became the first organist to receive the National Citation from The National Federation of Music Clubs in America, an award that has also been bestowed on such legends as Leonard Bernstein, Van Cliburn and Irving Berlin.

Bish is also a composer who has made numerous recordings, written books and designed the 117-rank Rufatti organ at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where she served as senior organist and artist-in-residence for more than 20 years. It is distinguished as one of the great organs in America.

But the graduate of the University of Oklahoma and Fulbright scholar is perhaps best known as the host of “The Joy of Music,’ the first television series to feature the organ. The show, which started in 1982, can be seen locally on Cornerstone Television at 9 p.m. Mondays. The same show repeats at 2:30 p.m. Thursdays.This unique series features Bish playing solo and with other classical musicians in cathedrals, churches and concert halls throughout the world. So not only do viewers hear fine playing, but they also enjoy a rich travelogue.

The impact that Bish makes with this show is incredible.

“I believe that on ‘The Joy of Music’ I play for more people in one night than I would in concerts my whole lifetime,’ she said.

Shown on seven satellites, “The Joy of Music’ is seen throughout the United States, Canada, western Europe and Asia. It includes 26 shows in each season. New shows started in September.

And yet the television show doesn’t match the thrill of playing before a live audience.

“I think it’s more exciting for me to interact with an audience,’ Bish said. “People say it’s a lot more exciting in person than on television. You hear the full sound and see the performance up close.’

And every organ is different, she noted.

“You must spend time familiarizing yourself with where the stops are and how many keyboards it has. The touch is different. The sound is different,’ Bish explained.

She will arrive the day before her concert and spend two to three hours the night before familiarizing herself with the instrument.

“I like to show off different aspects of the organ so people get to hear the beauty of each division,’ Bish said.

For her Uniontown concert, Bish will play some Bach, her own hymn arrangements and some patriotic music, which she began featuring after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“I had a concert two days after (the attacks) and I started to put in patriotic music and people responded,’ she said.

Bish will play hymns with which most people are familiar, such as “Amazing Grace,’ as well as more classical hymns such as “A Mighty Fortress.’

“I usually play a varied program that has something for everyone: lighter, heavier, fast, slow. It has to be a variety,’ she said.

Whether attending a concert, listening to the radio while driving or hiring a band for a special occasion, music is important to people. Bish realizes this.

“Think what life would be like without music,’ she said. “It’s in every aspect of our life, even on radio, television and in the background of movies. Music is a way of expressing emotion to people. It’s very important.’

Bish noted that people express themselves through music not only in what they play but in what they choose to listen to. It’s used in celebration, such as weddings, and in times of sorrow, such as funerals. It’s a comfort, a joy.

“Music expresses the mood of the people and the occasion,” Bish said.

And Bish chooses to express herself through the organ, which she began playing at age 14 when her feet were long enough to reach the pedals.

“The organ is like an orchestra because it has oboe stops, trumpet stops, strings. It’s a very fascinating instrument,’ she said. “It’s not like any other.’

The doors to St. Paul’s church will open at 6 p.m. Tuesday, one hour before the concert. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

No one will be admitted to the concert without a ticket.