Dr. Jeff R. McLelland, director of Music and Fine Arts at Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, will present an organ recital Sunday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Columbus. The event is part of the Martha Claire Kennedy Fitzner Concert Series and honors her memory. A reception follows the recital.
Considered one of the nation’s premier organists, McLelland will perform works by composers including Herbert Howells, Alexandre Guilmant, Louis Vierne and Johann Sebastian Bach, including Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.”
“It is probably one of the most famous organ pieces,” said Jeremy Adcock, organist and choirmaster at St. Paul’s Church.
McLelland performs frequently throughout the eastern United States for churches and American Guild of Organists (AGO) chapters and was a featured performer at previous Southeast Region Conventions of the AGO.
A native of Hattiesburg, the organist received degrees in organ performance from The University of Southern Mississippi, The Eastman School of Music and The University of Alabama. He is a past dean of several chapters of the AGO and has served on the AGO Executive Council as regional councillor for the southeast United States.
Prior to his appointment at Independent Presbyterian Church in 2000, McLelland worked for 17 years in academia in Mississippi as organ professor at Mississippi College and William Carey University.
“Dr. McLelland was my organ professor at William Carey. His musicality is beyond measure,” said Adock. “I am proud that St. Paul’s is able to offer his talent to Columbus on the Martha Clair Kennedy Fitzner Concert Series.”
Playing abroad
In 2003, McLelland accompanied the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Cincinnati in a residency for Salisbury Cathedral, England. In 2004, he took the IPC Choir to sing a residency at St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. The choir performed throughout Italy in the summer of 2007, and performed five concerts throughout Prague, Bratislava and Vienna in 2011. In 2015, the tour took them to Spain. The choir is well represented on recordings, with 13 releases since 1965.
The 17-rank Aeolian-Skinner organ of St. Paul’s was installed in 1950, replacing the original 1885 Pilcher & Sons organ. Renovations that included a rebuilding of the console and digital additions were started in 2009-2010. Through a generous gift to the church, the digital additions were completed in the summer of 2015.
The recital is free to attend. Donations will be accepted following the concert; a portion of the proceeds will be given to a charity in Martha Claire Kennedy Fitzner’s memory.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is located at 318 College St., Columbus.
“We hope everyone will come and enjoy an afternoon of great music and then enjoy dinner out at one of Columbus’ fine restaurants,” said Adcock.
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