Organist Rhonda Sider Edgington is a creative and eclectic musician, with a diverse repertoire and wide range of musical interests.

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1 biography Organist Rhonda Sider Edgington is a creative and eclectic musician, with a diverse repertoire and wide range of musical interests. Often commended for her innovative programming, imaginative use of registrations, and exciting playing, Rhonda feels equally at home playing small mechanical-action instruments as well as large Romantic or symphonic-style s. Having spent seven years working and studying in Bremen, Germany (originally with a Fulbright scholarship to study with Prof. Harald Vogel), Rhonda has acquired an extensive repertoire, from Sweelinck and the music of 17th-century Northern Germany, through music of 19th- and 20th-century France, to the music of today. She has played recitals at venues such as St. Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City, Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, St. Paul s Episcopal Cathedral in Buffalo, and Fourth Presbyterian and Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, as well as on many historic Arp Schnitger s in Germany, such as those in Norden, Grasberg, and Weener. She has played at five national conventions of the Organ Historical Society and a regional convention of the American Guild of Organists. She has also been heard on the nationally syndicated radio program Pipe Dreams. Rhonda has worked as a church musician since her student days, and has held jobs in almost every major denomination here in the states, as well as working as a church musician in Germany. As teacher, Rhonda was Assistant Professor at Concordia University, River Forest (IL), and Interim Professor of Organ at Houghton College (NY). She also enjoys playing the harpsichord, piano, and carillon, and is an avid chamber musician. Rhonda studied in Germany with Harald Vogel, Hans-Ola Ericsson, and Hans Davidsson, and in the U.S. with Larry Smith, Marilyn Keiser, John Chappell Stowe, Edward Zimmerman, and her father Ronald Sider. She has a Master s degree in Organ from Indiana University, a Bachelor s degree in Piano from Wheaton College (IL), and a Diploma in Organ Performance from the Hochschule für Künste/ University of the Arts in Bremen, Germany, where she was awarded the highest possible grade for her graduation recitals. After seven years of living in Bremen, Germany, Rhonda recently relocated to Holland, Michigan, where she is the ist at Hope Church and a staff accompanist at Hope College, while continuing to perform regularly in the U.S. and Europe. Rhonda maintains a website at rhonda.edgington.info with photos and recordings of some of her favorite s.

2 epoch leading up to and including Bach: its other-worldly fascinaprogram offerings AN AMERICAN (ORGANIST) IN PARIS Eugène Gigout, Grand Choeur Dialogue Charles-Marie Widor, Andante sostenuto from Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70 Jehan Alain, Fantasie I; Fantasie II; Litanies Olivier Messiaen, Sept visions brèves de la vie des ressuscités (The Glorious Bodies: Seven Visions of the Life of the Resurrected) (from Les Corps Glorieux); Joie et clarté des corps glorieux (The Joy and Revelation of the Glorious Bodies) (from Les Corps Glorieux) Charles Tournemire, Choral Improvisation on Te Deum Louis Vierne, Clair de Lune (from Pieces de Fantasie, Suite 2, Op. 53) Maurice Duruflé, Prélude et fugue sur le nom d Alain, Op. 7 From the ethereal to the bombastic to the bizarre, French composers have gifted us with a wide range of colors and sounds, and this program is designed for s influenced by the French school of building. Drawing on her love of the French repertoire for the, Rhonda has created a program centered around music of 19th- and 20th-century France. Gigout s Grand Choeur Dialogue is an imperial-sounding display of the grand sound of the full in dialogue with itself. Widor s beautiful and melancholy Andante sostenuto showcases soft solo stops, and proves the composer wrote more than just his famous Toccata. Alain s unique style is often fantastical, influenced by the meters and melodies of Eastern music. His two Fantasies are dramatic and contrasting the explosive and intense reed sounds of the first versus the haunting, eerie timbers Alain calls out of the in the second. The Te Deum, which Tournemire first improvised, presents us again with the sound of the full, first blasting out the Te Deum theme, later full of flourishes. Messiaen s Les Corps Glorieux shows off some of the ground-breaking sounds that Messiaen is famous for, and his innovative usage of the, in this almost-jazzy movement from the cycle. Finally, Duruflé s homage to Jehan Alain is a powerful transformation from the quiet, undulating sounds of the prelude to the ever-growing and building fugue theme (based on the letters of Alain s name), which climaxes in a dramatic and exciting finale. MEISTERWERKE DRAMATIC MUSIC OF THE GERMAN MASTERS Johannes Brahms, O Gott, du frommer Gott and Herzlich tut mich erfreuen, from Eleven Chorale Preludes, Op.122 J.S. Bach, Fugue in C minor on a theme from Legrenzi, BWV 574; Piece d Orgue, BWV 572 August Gottfried Ritter, Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 11 Dieterich Buxtehude, Choral Fantasy on Ich dank dir, lieber Herr, Bux WV 194 Felix Mendelssohn, Trio in F Nicolaus Bruhns, Praeludium in G Major Josef Rheinberger, Pastorale from Organ Sonata No. 20 in F Major, Op. 196 After spending years living and working in Northern Germany, studying with Prof. Harald Vogel, Rhonda has developed a particular affinity for German music. She has intensely studied the

3 program offerings (cont.) tion with harmony and structure, and its fantastical improvisatory style. Another favorite is the early German Romantic, where structure is also important, but in the service of soaring melodies and thrilling drama. The lovely but little-played setting by Buxtehude of Ich dank dir, lieber Herr, uses a variety of colors and compositional techniques to set the text of this chorale fantasy. Ritter, a German Romantic composer, modeled his first Organ Sonata on Baroque forms, and it works equally well on Baroque-style s or Romantic ones. He switches between furious, dramatic sections and beautiful, lyrical melodies in this one-movement sonata. Bach s stand-alone Fugue in C Minor on a theme by Legrenzi begins conventionally, with a mysterious-sounding fugue subject, but later dissolves into an unexpected, toccata-like ending. Bruhns left us with only a handful of works for the, but they are all dramatic, spectacular works, well-written and full of variety. Rheinberger was a traditionalist, but his mastery of compositional techniques and his ability to write beautiful melodies have gained him his share of fierce loyalists. His Pastorale contains both beautiful melodies and fiery technical sections. Bach s epic Piece d Orgue has three distinct sections, and this exciting and stylistically unusual piece for Bach is full of breathtaking, cascading passages and striking harmonies. Because of the years Rhonda spent in Germany practicing and performing on historic s of various eras, she understands especially well the instruments these pieces were composed for, and is able to recreate those sounds on American instruments, making them come alive for audiences here and now. MODERN MUSIC FOR A MODERN AGE Kenneth Leighton, Fanfare Libby Larsen, Sonata in One Movement (on Kalenda Maya) Bernard Wayne Sanders, Eclogue and Fugue in D Minor Petr Eben, Fantasie II and Moto Ostinato (from Sunday Music) Olivier Messiaen, Les Bergers (The Shepherds) and Les Anges (The Angels), from La Nativité du Seigneur Paul Hindemith, Lebhaft from Sonata II This program explores the last century of music, proving that there is much more to this instrument than people might imagine. With pieces from Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and England, as well as the United States, and ranging from Messiaen s La Nativité of 1935 to Sander s Eclogue and Fugue of 1992, this program is full of music that is contemporary yet accessible for general audiences. It contains pieces solidly in the mold of traditional compositional practices, written by composers breathing new life into these forms, using modern rhythms (such as in Hampton s Dances or Eben s Moto Ostinato), modern harmonies (Hindemith s Sonata II or Leighton s Fanfare), or modern melodies (Sander s Eclogue or Larsen s Sonata). To further help audiences connect with this repertoire, Rhonda is also happy to share either written or spoken program notes about the composers extra-musical inspirations or programmatic ideas for these pieces. IT DON T MEAN A THING LOOKING FOR, AND FINDING, SWING AND JAZZ INFLUENCES THROUGHOUT ORGAN LITERATURE J.S. Bach, Gigue Fugue Dietrich Buxtehude, Praeludium in C major, BuxWV 137 Olivier Messiaen, Joie et Clarté des Corps Glorieux from Les Corps Glorieux Jehan Alain, Deux Danses à Agni Yavishta William Albright, Sweet Sixteenths: Concert Rag for Organ Today, many composers for have been influenced by non-classical traditions. However, even in Bach s time, we can find works that give a nod to the groove that Duke Ellington referred to in his famous quote ( It don t mean a thing if it ain t got that swing ). From jazzy fugue themes of the Baroque, to the then-revolutionary jazz-influenced riffs and rhythms used by French composers in the early 20th century, to late 20th-century American works which are heavily influenced by the idiom, jazz can be found in many places, once we start to look. Calvin Hampton, At the Ballet and Everyone Dance, from Five Dances

4 concerto offerings FRANCIS POULENC ( ) Organ Concerto in G minor ANTON HEILLER ( ) Konzert für Orgel und Orchester on, finding some sounds, and using your feet a pianist s guide to playing the. She introduces pianists to the, showing them the similarities and differences of the two instruments, and hopefully exciting them with the possibilities and sounds of the King of Instruments! LECTURE/DEMONSTRATIONS Recently returning to the States from seven years spent in Germany, Rhonda Sider Edgington has stories, pictures, and thoughts to share about the instruments and personalities she encountered there, how they shaped her as a musician, and what her experiences there can teach us. She is happy to lecture and play musical examples that relate to the following topics: MY FULBRIGHT EXPERIENCE Either for students possibly interested in the Fulbright program, or for anyone who would like to know more about this amazing exchange program, designed to foster cross-cultural relationships and understanding WHAT AN AMERICAN ORGANIST LEARNED IN GERMANY My life-changing encounter with antique s, and why it matters ORGANS OF NORTHERN GERMANY additional offerings MASTERCLASSES Rhonda offers masterclasses for ists, and for pianists who might like to become ists. She enjoys working both with more advanced students on major literature, as well as ists whose main focus is more on hymn playing and easy service repertoire. Rhonda s masterclass for pianists is entitled Turning it ORGAN DEMONSTRATIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Rhonda enjoys sharing her love of the with young people, and would be happy to give a simple explanation of the mechanics of the instrument, demonstrate the many different kinds of sounds, and play short sample pieces for any group of interested children or youth. She has often encountered small children, peering out from behind their parents legs on Sunday morning after the postlude is finished, who want to know just how this large machine makes music, what you do with your feet, and why there are so many keyboards. Rhonda is always happy to explain and demonstrate, no matter how large or small the audience.

5 testimonials [Rhonda] played a total of sixteen times in the series Orgelpunkt, where she presented a wide spectrum of repertoire, with music ranging from the early Baroque period to modern music. Playing early music, she displayed a well-grounded understanding of style and historical performance practice. In the area of new music, she presented a successful selection of pieces both virtuosic and with audience appeal. All of her interpretations are characterized by technical aplomb and an electrifying musical expression. Hilger Kespohl, Organist at St. Pankratius Church, Hamburg-Neuenfelde, and Musical Director of Orgelpunkt Bremen It was a great pleasure to host Rhonda Edgington here in the cathedral on our Orgelkunst series. This was indeed Organ Art of a high order. She divided her programme between the two instruments in the cathedral itself and handled both the neobaroque instrument in the transept and the big symphonic on the west gallery with a high level of skill and imagination. Particularly in the second part of the programme she revealed her ability to adapt quickly to a variety of different styles and to use them all to transport her own musical personality. Two movements from Vierne s challenging 6th Symphony were handled with enviable virtuosity and fluency, and Bolcom s Gospel Prelude on Sometimes I feel showed a rock-solid rhythmic assuredness. Elsewhere she could also give proof of her ability to project a linear lyricism, an ability which had already become apparent in the opening minutes of her recital. All in all, a young artist with a great future! Barry Jordan, Cathedral Organist, Magdeburg, Germany Rhonda Sider Edgington is an ist of great range and talent. In recital on our twenty-stop mechanical-action accurate and idiomatic interpretation of music from Lubeck to Messiaen was played to great excitement. Additional versatility included rarely heard selections from C.P.E. Bach to contemporary composers including the inaugural performance of a commissioned suite of variations on A Mighty Fortress. Her performance was very memorable for the kaleidoscopic sounds and sensitive interpretations enjoyed by all. She is a performer to be highly recommended. Ronald Wahl, Wahl Organbuilders, Appleton, WI Rhonda Edgington played a wonderful evensong and recital at Trinity Church, Staunton, Virginia. She made the Taylor and Boody her own with imaginative registration, keyboard dexterity and innate musicality. People are asking when Rhonda might return. John H. Boody, Taylor and Boody Organbuilders, Staunton, VA I once saw a book title that immediately brought Rhonda to mind. The title was, Something Wonderful, Right Away. Rhonda s playing shows the deep power of her musicianship, her imagination and her training. There is creativity and personality in Rhonda s playing, but also a humility that allows the music itself to speak and inspire. Rhonda looks for the truth in the music and explores its expressive potential as well as anyone with whom I ve worked. Gary Rand, Pastor of Worship and the Arts, LaSalle Street Church, Chicago, IL