On the 281st anniversary of the birth of Christ Church member and early organist Francins Hopkinson, please join us for a private dress rehearsal of the world premiere performances of In Plain Air with Parker Kittermand and the International Contemporary Ensemble. The evening begins at 6:00 in the north garden.
As Christ Church installed the Esther Wideman Memorial Organ—the latest in a 300-year history of grand church organs within the space—it invited members of acclaimed artist collective International Contemporary Ensemble to inaugurate the new instrument with a program of original compositions. Composers Phyllis Chen (known for her work with hand-wound music boxes and toy pianos) and Nathan Davis (a percussionist fascinated by the mechanics of instruments) immersed themselves in the sound-making possibilities of the church’s organ, bells, and open spaces, as well as the history and public role of the venerable institution.
The resulting multi-movement program unites the church's historic bell tolls, the majesty of the intricately constructed organ, and the Ensemble’s characteristic focus on place and community into a one-of-a-kind sonic experience—a worthy welcome to an instrument that will continue to ring in the ears of visitors for the next 300 years.