Lewis & Clark Organ Spectacular VIII to highlight local organists

GODFREY –Join the Lewis and Clark Community College Music Department once again as they present area organists showcasing their talents at the Organ Spectacular Concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, in the Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

Area organists will perform a variety of pieces, including hymn arrangements and material from classic organ literature, on the Rodgers Trillium Masterpiece Series organ that arrived at Lewis and Clark in September 2007 as a replacement for the pipe organ the college inherited when it was founded in 1970. Both organs have been used for recitals, education, weddings and more.

Robert Raymond, former Dean of the American Guild of Organists in Illinois, will join several returning performers for this concert. Other performers will include Stephen Eros, Pauline Stillwell and Roy Stillwell.

“As coordinator of the Organ Spectacular Concert Series, I always enjoy hearing a wide variety of organ music played by several local organists,” Stillwell said.

For more information regarding this event or other music department events, please call the music office at (618) 468-4731.

Performer Biographies:

• Robert Raymond – Raymond earned his bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Webster University, and his master’s degree in Piano and Organ Performance and Music Education from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. He has taught organ at SIUE for 20 years and has served as Dean of the American Guild of Organists in Illinois. Raymond has held several church music positions and has served at the First Presbyterian Church USA in Edwardsville for the last 24 years.
• Stephen Eros – Eros graduated from Webster University with degrees Master of Arts in Choral Conducting and Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, and faculty bestowed honors in music. This summer, he completed his third season as rehearsal and performance pianist at the Muny, St. Louis. An active church musician since 2008, Stephen currently serves as Director of Liturgy and Music at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in O’Fallon, Illinois. He is a member of several music organizations.
• Pauline Stillwell – Stillwell hold music degrees form Luther College and the University of Iowa. After teaching piano at the college level for many years, she now teaches part-time at home and L&C.
• Dr. Roy Stillwell – Stillwell is an experienced instructor and performer. He has taught music at the college level in North Dakota and Mississippi and holds degrees in music from MacMurray College and the Eastman School of Music. After retiring from full-time teaching, he moved back to the Alton/Godfrey area where he was raised. Stillwell currently teaches organ as an adjunct instructor at L&C.

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