Diocese of Orange concert season to feature newly installed organ, 19 hours of Bach

The 2024-25 Christ Cathedral music ministry season will also be showcasing its annual Christmas concert and Marian choral classics.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif., Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is pleased to announce the Christ Cathedral music ministry's 2024-25 concert season, which will include the recital debut of a newly refurbished pipe organ, Christmas music and an epic 19-hour marathon of Bach's entire pipe organ catalogue.

The season begins on Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. with the inaugural recital of the Schoenstein & Co. pipe organ in the cathedral's recently dedicated St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts. The 405-pipe, 8-rank instrument was formerly in a private home in Southern California and New York before Christ Cathedral acquired it and returned it to the Golden State.

The recital will feature soloist Steven Ball playing French music alongside Lauren McCaul, cathedral music administrator and soprano.

Next is the annual Christmas at the Cathedral concert on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. It will feature holiday favorites, as well as congregational carols complementing some of the most beloved Scripture readings about the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Bach marathon concert — dubbed "Bach-a-Thon!" — begins at the early hour of 6 a.m. on March 3 and is expected to last 19 hours, through 1 a.m. March 4. The complete organ works of J.S. Bach will be played on Christ Cathedral's epic and iconic Hazel Wright Organ. "Bach-a-Thon," presented in collaboration with the American Guild of Organists, will feature concert organists from around Southern California.

A highlight of the 19-hour session promises to come at 7:30 p.m. with a "best of Bach" featuring David Ball and the Christ Cathedral choirs. Commentary will be provided throughout "Bach-a-Thon" by Michael Barone, host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Pipedreams," and Roger Sherman, owner of Gothic Records and host of "The Organ Loft."

The next concert is "The Annunciation: A Choral Adoration" on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. This reflective night of music will include Marian choral classics, congregational Marian hymns and the world premiere of a new hymn arrangement by Benjamin LaPrairie, associate director of music at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

The season concludes at 7:30 p.m. on May 21 with showcasing the next generation: Christ Cathedral's Organ Scholars and Choral Scholars. This year's class is comprised of Eduardo Iñiguez, Phillip Hoang, Tess Sacher, Clare Donaldson, Dayris Lira, Agatha Teague and Serra Kim.

All concerts are free and will be on the Christ Cathedral campus in Garden Grove. Tickets will be required for the Nov. 13 Schoenstein organ recital because of the limited capacity of the cathedral's St. Callistus chapel.

For more information and to get tickets, visit www.christcathedralmusic.org

About the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange

With 1.3 million Catholics, 58 parishes, five Catholic centers and 36 schools, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is one of the largest and most diverse faith communities in the United States. The Diocese empowers Catholics across Orange County to have an active life of faith that is integrated and woven into the fabric of their daily lives through the community and sacramental life of the Church. Under the leadership of Bishop Kevin Vann, the Diocese works to establish and support dynamic, vibrant parishes and schools welcoming all to live the Gospel with faith, joy, charity and unity. Christ Cathedral, the spiritual home of the Bishop of Orange, was dedicated in July 2019. Learn more about the Diocese of Orange at www.rcbo.org

SOURCE The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange