JOHN V. BARATTA , organ — June 22, 2008

 

John V. Baratta, who performed for Grace Lutheran Church’s silent movie presentation of “Christ The King” in November 2007, returned to perform on the Konzelman pipe organ in concert on Sunday, June 22 at 7PM. The concert concluded the 2007-2008 season’s concert schedule, which included the Powers and Hall organ/saxophone duo in January and Richard Frey in March.


A wide-ranging program of organ classics and rarities was presented. Each piece was prefaced with a spoken introduction and he ended the concert with an "old-fashion hymn sing."


Baratta is organist and director of music for the First Presbyterian Church of Newton, New Jersey. He is also the organist for the historic Newton Theatre and one of the organists for the Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York. He is also is chairman of education for the North Jersey Chapter of The American Guild of Organists and serves on the education committee for the New York Theatre Organ Society. He has put together an educational student outreach program sponsored by a number of organist organizations. With the use of a digital organ, this program includes going to schools from K- 12 to give students hands-on demonstrations and workshop seminars on the organ, its history and music literature.

      

Baratta is a native of Lodi, and presently resides in Wantage. Baratta is a recipient of the Music Talent Award given by the Garden State Arts Center.

     

He has played the Albert Schweitzer Memorial Organ at Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia, performed at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in New York City and recently on the new five-manual Allen Organ at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia.


This past year he has written and published an instructional music method series for music students at the middle school level.




PROGRAM:


Eugene Gigout: Grand Choeur Dialogue


Robert Elmore: Pavane


J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in D major BWV 532


Josef Rheinberger: Cantilena


  1. J.Baptiste Calkin: Minuetto


C. Austin Miles: In the Garden


W. T. Best: March for a Church Festival


Theodore Dubois: Meditation


George Fredrick Handel: Concerto in F—1st movement


Alphonse Mailly: Toccata


And a good old-fashion hymn sing!

John Baratta at the console of the organ at St. Patrick’s Church in New York City