Trinity church to offer organ ‘plus’ recital
Trinity United Presbyterian Church will offer an organ “plus” concert at 4 p.m. Sunday. The program will feature Trinity’s organist, Jason Keefer; tenor section leader, Jesse Lowry; and pianist/violinist, John Morrison.
The concert will consist of organ masterworks such as Franz Liszt’s “Prelude and Fugue on the theme BACH”; Louis Vierne’s famed “Final” from his Symphony No. 1; as well as works by Bach, Mendelssohn and composers of the contemporary era.
Keefer is director of music and organist at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Uniontown, where he plays for weekly services and conducts the Trinity Singers, adult chancel and bell choirs, and oversees the church’s recital series and children’s music programs.
Keefer is enrolled in the doctor of musical arts program in organ performance at West Virginia University, where he studies organ with Dr. William Haller and choral conducting with Dr. Kathleen Shannon. He is serving as a teaching assistant at the university and is currently team teaching a course in world music.
In 2003, Keefer received the master of musical arts degree in sacred music and organ from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he studied organ with Dr. John Walker and organ improvisation with Dr. Ann Labounsky.
Other teachers have included Dr. David Craighead, Anne Musser Honeywell and Edgar Highberger. He has also coached with French organists Pierre Pincemaille and Jean Pierre Leguay.
A 1999 graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y., he holds a bachelor of science degree in music education with organ as his performance instrument.
As an undergraduate, he served as worship coordinator and accompanist for the chapel music program and organ accompanist for the college concert choir.
Keefer frequently performs throughout the eastern states. Recent venues have included Bruton Parish in Williamsburg, Va., First Lutheran in Pittsburgh, First United Methodist in Warren and Westminster Presbyterian in Chicago.
John Morrison, organist and choir accompanist at Great Bethel Baptist Church in Uniontown, will perform favored piano classics by Beethoven and Debussy, as well as J.S. Bach’s “Partita No. 3 in E Major” for solo violin.
He received his bachelor and masters degrees in piano performance from West Virginia University, where he studied piano with Dr. Peter Amstutz and Dr. Christine Kefferstan and organ with Dr. William Haller.
Morrison also is a violinist and member of the Seneca String Quartet, a professional string quartet based in Morgantown, W.Va.
Actively sought out as a teacher and performer, Morrison maintains a studio of piano and violin students of all ages in Fairmont and Morgantown, W.Va. He also has a studio in Uniontown.
His most recent performing engagements include concerts for the recital series of Chatham College and Sharon Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, West Virginia Public Theatre and a recording collaboration with a WVU faculty member, which has been submitted to the International Double Reed Society Competition.
Lowery has worked as an accompanist for the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and is an active member of the American Guild of Organists.
He is a graduate from Eastman School of Music and has a bachelor of arts in vocal performance and applied music.
Lowery has spent four seasons with the West Virginia Public Theatre, where he has portrayed various characters and leads.
He is currently enrolled at the West Virginia Career Institute as a medical assistant major.
Lowery lives in Connellsville with his wife, Diana.
There is no admission for the concert.
However, a free-will offering will be received to raise money, so the church can continue the recital series.