Music of the Reformation: Lunch with the Arts presents special organ recital Wednesday

Published 8:22 pm Monday, October 23, 2017

By PAUL STANSBURY

Contributing writer

This month, the Community Arts Center invites you on a field trip to The Presbyterian Church of Danville for a Lunch with the Arts presentation of organ music by Dr. Zach Klobnak.  October marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. In celebration of this anniversary, Klobnak’s program will explore some of the music stemming from what was then a newly-formed Protestant (Lutheran) Church.

The Protestant Reformation marks an important cultural event that changed the course of world history.  As the life of the Christian Church was changing in 1517, so was the music that accompanied the worship life of the Church.  Klobnak’s repertoire provides insight into the German Worship music that followed.

Klobnak’s noontime presentation on Oct. 25 will also serve as a prelude to an organ recital later in the week, commemorating the anniversary of the Reformation. That recital will be held 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, and is open to the community.

Both programs will be in the church sanctuary.

Klobnak says, “Martin Luther,  in addition to leading the Reformation, wrote music and poetry. Much of his work became hymns. As such, we are fortunate to have a repertoire of music that ties back to him. I want to present a recital that reflects Luther and his role in the Reformation. My Lunch with the Arts program will provide a little glimpse of his music, as well as introduce the audience to our wonderful organ and demonstrate how it works.”

Audience members will be delighted by the beautiful sounds of the Church’s 1999, Opus 35, Taylor & Boody mechanical action pipe organ.  Although less than 20 years old, the organ is built on the principles well established by the 16th century, offering the listener an experience close to that of the time when this music was composed.  This instrument is recognized around the country as one of the finest of its kind in this region. It is the perfect instrument for the music of the Reformation, for it was not until this event that hymn singing and organ music combined to lead the congregation in song.

Klobnak is college organist and instructor of organ, harpsichord and piano at Centre College.  He is also director of music and organist at the Presbyterian Church of Danville, where he directs the music program, administers the Music on Main Street concert series, and plays the church’s Taylor & Boody pipe organ.  A native of Iowa, he holds degrees from Luther College, the University of Florida and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he held the Brownson Fellowship for organ studies.  His principal organ teachers include Dana Robinson, Laura Ellis  and Gregory Peterson; he has also studied harpsichord with Kathryn Reed and choral conducting with Donald Nally, Fred Stoltzfus and Timothy Peter.  Klobnak is an active recitalist, a member of the American Guild of Organists and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians and studied French organ literature and design in Paris and in the Alps region of France.  He has held church music positions in Illinois, Florida and Iowa.

The Presbyterian Church of Danville has limited parking available at the rear of the church. Enter the parking lot from South Fifth Street. The church is handicap accessible by ramp at the front entrance and by elevator inside the rear entrance. As a special treat for the audience at Wednesday’s Lunch with the Arts program, limited seating in the choir loft will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Access to the loft is by stairway.

Lunch with the Arts: Organ Recital by Zach Klobnak, noon-1 pm. Oct. 25 at the Presbyterian Church of Danville,  500 W. Main St. Cost is $5 at the door.