Enjoy a free Sunday afternoon by ascendant young organist Alexander Straus-Fausto. His program will include classic works by J. S. Bach and Max Reger as well as orchestral transcriptions and 20^th century works by Leo Sowerby and Iain Farrington.

Our organ recital series features some of the finest organists playing one of America’s great organs. Grace Cathedral’s 7,466-pipe Aeolian-Skinner instrument, the Charles B. Alexander Memorial Organ (1934), is one of the first and finest American classic-style organs and is among the largest church organs in the West. Experiencing music in our gothic cathedral with its unique acoustics, soaring nave, and jewel-like stained glass windows is a feast for the ears, eyes, and soul. 

Please note there is an admission fee for visitors on Sundays from 1 to 5 pm. Those wishing to attend the organ recital must register in advance to avoid paying the fee. Thank you for your understanding. 

Program

Overture to Candide
Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
(transcr. Alexander Straus-Fausto)

Suite for Organ
III. Air with Variations
Leo Sowerby (1895 – 1968)

Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
(transcr. Alexander Straus-Fausto)

Prelude and Fugue in D Major BWV 532
Johann Sebastian Bach

Chorale Fantasy on “Hallelujah Gott zu Loben, Bleibe Meine Sellenfreud”, Op. 52, No. 3
Max Reger (1873 – 1916)

Live Wire
Iain Farrington (b. 1977)

Event Details

The concert will also be livestreamed here and on Facebook.  The cathedral will open for seating at 1:30 pm. The entrance to the cathedral is at the top of the Great Steps. The accessible entrance is via the glass doors on Taylor Street or from the cathedral garage. Masks are strongly encouraged inside the cathedral. 

About the Organist

Completing his master’s degree in organ performance at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Alexander Straus-Fausto from Kitchener, Ontario is studying under the direction of Dr. Martin Jean. He completed his Bachelor of Music at McGill University Schulich School of Music and his secondary school studies at Michigan’s Interlochen Arts Academy. While still a teenager, Straus-Fausto undertook a Canada Council-funded summer 2019 concert tour of the UK, playing in historic churches and cathedrals, and in 2024 he anticipates returning for concerts at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Straus-Fausto was named a member of The Diapason’s “20 under 30 class of 2023,” which recognizes young artists under the age of 30 who have made significant contributions to the field of organ performance. Straus-Fausto was named a competitor in the Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition 2023 and was a prize-winner in the 2023 Royal Canadian College of Organists’ National Competition.  

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