Organist Katelyn Emerson makes her Northrop debut on Sep 29. Make sure you also join her the night before, Sep 28, for a free 90-Minute Organ Masterclass. Here are Five Fast Facts to know about Katelyn before her performance.
- Organist Katelyn Emerson has been a prizewinner of competitions on three different continents, garnering critical acclaim in North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Emerson was also chosen as one of The Diapason’s “20 under 30 – Class of 2015,” a group of young organists, organ builders, harpsichordists, and choral directors showing “ superior accomplishments, leadership, creativity, and innovative thinking.
- Emerson’s repertory includes music from the 14th-21st centuries. Currently, she has around six hours of ready-to-go music in her fingers. Normally, there isn’t an overlap of more than two to three pieces among stops on her tours.
- In addition to Emerson’s almost encyclopedic knowledge of some of the world’s greatest organs and the architecture and cultures around them, she also photographs them and reflects on her experiences on her extensive website and blog.
- Emerson played the piano and the flute before she played the organ. At 13, she was introduced to the organ via the Young Organist Collaborative. This scholarship program, which began in 2001, offers a year of organ lessons to a number of students each year. It has been the impetus for dozens of students to pursue the instrument, creating life-long interest and, in several cases (like Emerson’s), a career in the organ.
