The William G. Kibitz Memorial Organ, Christ Church, New Haven, CT (http://www.christchurchnh.org/organ/)

Saecula Choir Foundation’s Organ Exploration Program provides workshops, masterclasses, and group lessons for beginner and intermediate-level organists as well as young pianists who are interested in learning to play the organ. The goals of the program are to foster interest in “the king of instruments”, to offer unique and challenging supplements to private instruction, and to promote intergenerational collaboration within the organ and choral communities. Clinicians and instructors include some of the area’s leading professional organists.

The inaugural event of the Organ Exploration Program was a Hymn Playing Workshop at Christ Church, New Haven on April 28, 2018, led by Walden Moore, Organist and Choirmaster at Trinity Church on the Green in New Haven. In this exciting interactive workshop, participants learned various techniques for effective and creative hymn playing with the goal of encouraging congregational singing.

With support from Trinity Church on the Green, First Church of Christ in Woodbridge, Christ Church New Haven, and the Greater New Haven Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, this session was offered to all participants free of charge. Anyone wishing to make a voluntary donation to support future programs is welcome to do so at saecula.org/donate, noting that the gift is to be used for the Organ Exploration Program.

Walden Moore has been organist and choirmaster of Trinity Church, New Haven, since 1984, where he works with the renowned Choir of Men and Boys, the Choir of Men and Girls, and the parish mixed-adult choir in a regular schedule of parish services and outside appearances. He has served as clinician, guest conductor, and organist for choir festivals across the nation. He is past chair of the Music Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, and has served on the Executive Board of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He has also served as consultant in organ design for several churches in Connecticut. Since January 2007 he has been team-teaching a course in service playing with fellow Baker student Mark Miller. He holds degrees from the University of Kentucky and Yale Institute of Sacred Music / Yale School of Music.