Events

Organ Concert with Dr. Susan Ferré 

Friday, July 11 at 4 p.m.

Dr. Susan Ferré will present a pipe organ concert at 4 p.m. Friday, July 11, at The Gorham Congregational Church. This concert honors the memory of former pastor Rev. Miryam Hammond (1942-2025) and follows an organ building event at the Randolph library. There is no charge for admission, but we invite a donation of $10, with funds raised going to the preservation of the church and parsonage.

The program is designed around works written for 19th c. organs, each piece highlighting unique and dynamic sonic combinations. There will be works by Franck, Dubois, Tournemire, and Langlais, ending with "Coronation" written by Oliver Holden (1765-1844); this is the tune for the hymn “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”

The concert will be performed on the church’s historic 1893 Hook and Hastings Opus 1537 organ, a tall instrument contained in quarter sawn oak. Rebuilt in 1995 it is maintained by George Bozeman, Jr. and Company. The Hook and Hastings Company, Massachusetts, was the foremost organ manufacturing company from 1827-1935, building organs across the world.

Our community is fortunate to have esteemed musician, Susan Ferré, living in its midst. A world-class musician she has performed around the world: Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, Scandinavia, Brazil, Canada, and throughout the United States. She has served the faculties of Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA; Southern Methodist University; Perkins School of Theology; University of North Texas; University of Paris, Vincennes, France. Currently she and her husband live in her mother’s ancestral Gorham home. Director of the non-profit Music in the Great North Woods (www.musicgnw), bringing classical music to the North Country, Director of Music and Organist at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Berlin, Susan also maintains and active concert career.

This concert follows the OrgelKids organ building project sponsored by the Randolph Library, Music in the Great North Woods and the NH Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Musicians, builders, engineers young and old are invited to assemble a petite organ – two-octave, two-rank, mechanical action pipe organ. With no glue or screws the kit organ is intended to be reusable, built time and time again.

An OrgelKids Encounter consists of an introduction to this instrument, with attendees learning the history, culture and composers of the pipe organ. Then together they build the pipe organ during two class periods, play, and explore their creation. The following day all are invited to attend The Gorham Congregational Church’s organ concert with Susan Ferré. Further information is available on the Randolph Library or the church’s websites – randolphnhpubliclibrary.org, and uccgorhamnh.org.

The Gorham Congregational Church will be hosting two more concerts this summer. Cherry Cherry Band on August 9, a Neil Diamond tribute band. And Megan Carlin on organ and piano, August 16.