David Michael Kenney -------------------- I have been an organist since 1982. I began lessons on a four-rank Moller (1947) at my home church in Strasburg, Virginia. I went on to take some lessons at Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music (now university) in Winchester, Virginia, on the three-manual mechanical action Moller (1982) in Goodson Chapel. My first organ composition was composed on this instrument. I was invited to be the first youth organist to play for services of the Virginia United Methodist Annual Conference in 1984. I played a large three-manual Rodgers organ in Hampton Coliseum. Throughout my four years at the University of Virginia, I played the small Aeolian-Skinner chapel organ for the Wesley Foundation (Methodist) student communion services and Omicron Delta Kappa ceremonies. I also played the historic 1906 Ernest M. Skinner in Virginia's Cabell Hall Auditorium. I did substitute work while a student in Charlottesville, playing a variety of instruments, including those of Zimmer, Schantz, Allen, and Baldwin. There was a Roosevelt at one of the downtown churches (CME Church, I believe), but it was not playable while I was living there. Later I had the excitement of playing the Andover (1987) at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Strasburg, Virginia, the Fisk in the Wellesley College Chapel, the Aeolian-Skinner at St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University, the von Beckerath at the University of Richmond, the Andover in the chapel at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, and just a few years ago, "Big Hazel" at the Crystal Cathedral (I can still feel the rumbling in my chest as I firmly placed my foot on the low F pedal point to begin Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel's "Prelude for Organ." 2001 was an interesting year for organs and me. After a trip to Maine in 2001, where I was inspired by the sounds of the wonderful Austin instrument in the Municipal Hall Auditorium in Portland, I visited with family in Virginia, taking a trip to Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison, Virginia, to play the incredible 1802 David Tannenberg organ (the pastor hand pumped the bellows for me!). My mother and I later slipped in to hear the last strains of the evening recital on the Wanamaker organ at Lord & Taylor in Philadelphia, after enjoying Longwood Gardens for a day (and wondering how their organ will sound upon restoration!). So with encouragement from the principal of the school where I worked as a speech-language pathologist for the past seven years, I went on to present a two-organ program with a colleague in the fall of 2001. Our fourth and fifth grade school (in Washington, North Carolina) had roughly 600 students, all but one of whom was allowed to attend the program which was presented twice on a particular school day (followed by a Sunday afternoon concert). My colleague and I taught the children about the particular organs that were being used (II-30 Schantz (1972) and a III-76 voice Allen Renaissance). The school's music teacher had already taught a six-week unit about how organs work, about composers of organ music, and she had taught the children the words to "The Stars and Stripes Forever," which they sang while my colleague and I played the Chenaults' "two organists on one bench" version. (I think I now know what an octopus goes through daily!) I had 12 or so kids come to me at school the week after the concert and inquire about lessons. Nine of them went on to secure a piano teacher within the next few weeks, as I recall, telling me that they couldn't wait to learn how to play the organ, too! I have loved playing and listening to the organ as long as I can remember. I have had the interesting task of being the chairman of a new organ project at my last church, First Presbyterian in Washington, North Carolina. They are about to receive their III-44 Goulding and Wood, Opus 42. Currently I am playing at McDonald United Methodist Church. The church is in McDonald, Tennessee, home of Barger & Nix Organs, just up Lee Highway from Richards, Fowkes, & Co. (in Ooltewah) and minutes away from the huge Brombaugh at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Collegedale. It's like pipe organ heaven on earth. Our church is exploring the possibility of a new pipe organ, so I am very excited about the not-too- distant future. I am hoping to apprentice with one of our local organ companies in the next few years. My wife may accompany me on this venture, as she has quite a few ideas about case and facade design. We enjoy organs and organ music together, and we both believe that music, above all, should be like playing the 1900 Estey reed organ in our living room--FUN!