Young organists keep King of Instruments going

Four teenagers from the Charlotte area will take turns in a concert this Sunday showing off what they've learned as winners of a scholarship for budding organists. 


The local chapter of the American Guild of Organists gives out the annual Stigall Scholarship in honor of Ann and Robert Stigall, longtime Charlotte church musicians. Each year, some of the recent winners perform on the AGO's summer concert series, which raises money for the scholarships -- besides helping keep Charlotte from suffering a summertime musical drought.  


The four who will play Sunday: 


Emma Haupt just graduated from the Woodlawn School in Davidson. She's involved in the youth handbell choir and other groups at Davidson United Methodist Church. Emma took part last year in the Oberlin Summer Organ Academy in Ohio, and she plans to major in church music or organ in college. On Sunday, she'll play Eugene Gigout's Toccata, a favorite organ showpiece, and "Le Jardin Suspendu" by Jehan Alain. 


Chase Loomer will be a junior this fall at the Community School of Davidson. He plays the piano and trombone in addition to the organ, and he performs in the senior high choir and brass ensemble at Davidson United Methodist. He'll play another popular showpiece, the Toccata from Widor's Fifth Symphony, and a work by Johann Ludwig Krebs, a younger contemporary of J.S. Bach. 


Joe Setzer is a new graduate of Hopewell High School, where he played the saxophone in the band in addition to his keyboard studies. He plans to pursue a church-music career. On Sunday, he'll play Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C major and a work by the 20th-century composer Margaret Sandresky. 


Clara Gerdes of Davidson is homeschooled. Clara sings in the girls choir and plays the organ at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Mount Holly. She'll play Paul Hindemith's Sonata No. 3 and Cesar Franck's Prelude, Fugue and Variation. 


Even if you can't hear them on Sunday, keep an eye out for their names in the future.