Chris Powell at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom WurliTzer Theatre Organ. 11 May 2009.

Cameron Carpenter

Cameron is an accomplished player with amazing pedal technique and is apparently an ice skater in his spare time. This might explain his dress sense, which is rather unorthodox for classical music: tight white t-shirt studded with crystals, tight white trousers and white shoes with enormous heels.

There are a number of videos of his playing on YouTube, which are worth watching. I’m not sure why, but the audio is out of sync with the video. This seems to be a problem with many YouTube videos, which is a pity. I’ve included a couple of these videos below. The CD is well worth buying.

Stars and Stripes Forever

John Philip Sousa

Bugler’s Holiday

Leroy Anderson

Read more about Cameron Carpenter at his website and in a recent article in New Yorker Magazine.

Mark Herman

I came across Mark Herman’s videos on YouTube this evening.

I’ve never heard of him before, but I think he is a talented player.  See and hear for yourself.

“Mark Herman was born on August 25, 1987, and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.  He has been studying the piano since he was seven years old and began classical organ lessons at the age of 12.  His first introduction to the theatre organ was when he was in fourth grade and was at the Embassy Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne.  This was made possible by the late Robert Goldstine and the local American Guild of Organists chapter’s “Room on the Organ Bench” program.  In 2001, he began theatre organ studies with John Ferguson of Indianapolis, who is recognized worldwide for his skills as a teacher.”

[Unfortunately, the audio is out of sync with the video.]