2025 Organ Improvisation Workshops
at the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, Metuchen

Calling all Organists!

The Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi will be hosting three Organ Improvisation Workshops for any organists who wish to improve their improvisation skills. The workshops will take place on the first three Mondays of February 2025. Each session will run for 90 minutes and will begin at 7PM.

Topics to be covered are:

 February 3, 2025

• Basic and advanced scale harmonization; developing a solid chord/harmonic vocabulary

• Hymn Accompaniment and Re-harmonization

February 10, 2025

• Bicinium (two-part) and Trio textures

• Aria/Song Form: The Chorale Prelude

February 17, 2025

• Imitative Counterpoint and Fugue Improvisation

• Improvising Hymn Tune based Preludes and Postludes

  • The Thoughtful Prelude

  • The Meditative Offertory

  • The Splashy Postlude

No previous improvisation skills are necessary, however, a basic knowledge of music theory will be helpful to the participant, such as: understanding major/minor relationships, both parallel and relative; understanding of basic cadences; ability to play a traditional 4-part hymn; etc.

Cost per workshop is $50 per evening, or $125 for all three evenings. All proceeds go to benefit the Cathedral’s Sacred Music program. These workshops will be led by Christopher Deibert, Director of Sacred Music for the Cathedral and the Diocese of Metuchen. Checks should be made out to: Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, MEMO LINE: Organ Improv Workshops.

For more information: https://conta.cc/4gyj0RS

Register by emailing:  Music@StFrancisCathedral.org