Catalina Organ Festival proudly presents: Dr. Faythe Freese – Organ
Friday, November 14, 2025 @ 7:00 PM
Catalina United Methodist Church
2700 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85716
Dr. Faythe Freese, Professor Emeritus of Organ at the University of Alabama School of Music, is in demand as a recitalist throughout the United States, Europe, South Korea, Brazil, and Singapore. Dr. Freese was the recipient of the Indiana University Oswald Ragatz Distinguished Alumni Award for 2017. She is the only American woman to have recorded at L’Eglise de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris on the landmark instrument where Guilmant, Messiaen and Hakim were titular organists. Her fourth compact disc entitled, Faythe Freese à l’Orgue de l’Eglise de la Sainte Trinité, has received critical acclaim in The Diapason, The American Organist and Tracker Magazine. Her fifth compact disc, recorded at Magdeburg Cathedral, Germany, entitled, The Freese Collection is Dr. Freese’s most recent release. The solo organ work entitled, “The Freese Collection”, a work by Dr. Pamela Decker, was commissioned and premiered by Dr. Freese in January 2013. She was also the featured artist on Dr. Decker’s compact disc entitled, Museum of the Dance, Vol. 4. Dr. Freese has also commissioned the following new works for solo organ: Passacaglia on BACH by Pamela Decker, To Call My True Love to My Dance by Naji Hakim, and Out of Egypt by John Baboukis.
As a Fulbright scholar and an Indiana University/Kiel Ausstausch Programme participant, she studied the works of Jean Langlais with the composer in France, and the works of Max Reger with Heinz Wunderlich in Germany. Her organ teachers have included Marilyn Keiser, Robert Rayfield, William Eifrig and Phillip Gehring. She has coached with Dame Gillian Weir, Simon Preston, and Daniel Roth. Dr. Freese is on the Honoree List of Who’s Who in America.
She was a featured concert artist and lecturer at the 2024 American Guild of Organists National Convention in San Francisco and the 2010 American Guild of Organists National Convention in Washington, D.C.; and a featured lecturer at the 2014 American Guild of Organists National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts; the featured concert artist at the 2011 American Guild of Organists Region IV Convention in Greensboro, NC; the 2001 American Guild of Organists Region VII Convention in San Antonio, TX.; and the 2011 Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Biennial Convention. Dr. Freese’s performances have been hailed as “powerful …masterful… impressive … brilliant.” Dr. Freese was also director, faculty, and featured performer at the 2017 Birmingham Pipe Organ Encounter (POEA), the 2017 Atlanta POE-Tech, the 2017 Hartford POE, the 2016 Atlanta POE, the 2011 Boston POEA, the 2011 Birmingham POE, the 2012 Gainsville POE and the 2004 Atlanta POE. She reviewed the concerts for the 2018 Kansas City National Convention for The American Organist. One of her most recent performances was as the closing concert recorded for the November 2020 East Texas Pipe Organ Festival where she featured works by Leo Sowerby.
Dr. Freese studied and performed on over fifty historic organs in nine European countries during her spring 2015 sabbatical. She collaborated with early performance practice experts such as Ton Koopman, Montserrat Torrent, Pieter van Dijk, Aude Heutermatte and João Vaz on period repertoire. Her most recent recitals upon her return incorporated the historic repertoire performed by Dr. Freese and were accompanied by a slide show of the historic instruments upon which she performed during her sabbatical.
Dr. Freese holds degrees in organ performance and church music from Indiana University. She has held faculty positions at Indiana University, Concordia University in Austin, University of North Dakota-Williston, and Andrew College.
Dr. Freese is the author of publications entitled: “Five Chorale Preludes & Free Hymn Accompaniments”; “Sunday Morning Organist: A Survivor’s Guide for the Pianist”; and “Sonus Novus: Intonations and Harmonizations” (Concordia Publishing House). She is the Director of the Concert Artist Cooperative.
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM:
First Sonata in d minor, Op. 42 Félix-Alexandre Guilmant
Introduction: Largo e maestoso (1837-1911)
Allegro
Pastorale: Andante quasi Allegretto
Finale: Allegro assai*
Peaceful Valley Medley Eurydice V. Osterman
(1950- )
Sherman Garner
(arr. Faythe Freese)
To Call My True Love to My Dance Naji Hakim
1. Theme: Allegro (1955- )
2. Variation 1: Cantabile
3. Variation 2: Valse
4. Variation 3: Deciso
5. Variation 4: Arabesque
6. Variation 5: Burletta
7. Variation 6, 7: Tango-Scherzando-Tango
8. Variation 8: Berceuse
9. Variation 9: Finale
INTERMISSION
Fanfare John Cook
Psalm 81, vv. 1-3 (1918-1984)
The Colorado Suite (World Premiere) Pamela Decker
I. Gargoyle Rock (1955- )
II. Waterfall in the Pines
III. Scatflower Rag
IV. Pepper at the River
Carillon Leo Sowerby
(1895-1968)
Comes Autumn Time Leo Sowerby
*Includes a Cadenza by Wilhelm Middelschulte
