End the workday on a high (or low) note

Robert Town will perform in three organ vespers recitals at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 1, 8 and 15, as part of the Rie Bloomfield Organ Series.

Each program will be about 45 minutes and will feature transcriptions of Vivaldi string concertos by J.S. Bach, and works of César Franck, Jean Langlais and Jehan Alain.

Town, associate professor of organ, began the annual organ vespers series with six recitals in 1991. The distinguished American organist Catharine Crozier has appeared in the series in 1993, ’97 and ’99, and the late Michael Farris in 1996 and ’98.

"The series is meant to be concurrent with Lent," said Town, "but more importantly, to provide an opportunity for the community and WSU staff and students to hear great organ literature played on one of the world’s finest instruments at the end of a workday."

Town has performed in many U.S. and Canadian cities as well as in Europe, including in Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral. He will return to Europe for concerts this summer. He has been on the WSU faculty since 1965, and his former students hold positions at universities, colleges and churches across the United States.

The vespers series is free.