Sacred Organ Concert - January 17th

We would like to invite you to a sacred organ concert, featuring John L. Blackburn, on Sunday night, January 17th, at 6pm.

John L. Blackburn is the former Director of Music Ministries at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church and former Organist for Temple Rodef Shalom, both in Waco. Mr. Blackburn is a graduate of Baylor University, receiving his Bachelor degree in Church Music with Organ Emphasis and a Master of Music in Church Music degree from Baylor. He is a member of the American Guild of Organist, Organ Historical Society, Pi Kappa Lamba, The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, and The Royal School of Church Musicians.

Mr. Blackburn has also participated in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Judith and Gerre Hancock. During his years at Baylor University, his primary professors included Joyce Jones, David Music, Terry York and Randall Bradley. Mr. Blackburn has served as Organist and Music Administrative Assistant at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. Mr. Blackburn has also served Interim Organist at First United Methodist Church of Waxahachie.

During his undergraduate years at Baylor University, John served two seasons as Organist for the Baylor University Concert Choir as well as organist for several different University events. Mr. Blackburn also made his orchestral conducting debut in March 2007 by conducting a performance of Franz Joseph Haydn’s Missa in Tempore Belli as part of an ecumenical Lenten project.

As a musician for sacred service, Mr. Blackburn has excelled at the Art of Improvisation. He has performed, lectured and coached other organists and pianists in this field. In 2005, Mr. Blackburn was asked to perform in a concert given by American Organists in Paris, France, where he was asked to solely improvise program to demonstrate a synthesis of French and American musical languages.

He has also serve the American Guild of Organists by serving the Central Texas Chapter first as Dean, and later as Secretary. Mr. Blackburn has served on the board of Schola Cantorm of Texas, a professional choir based in Fort Worth. He has served as a lecturer, teacher and performer for several Pipe Organ Encounters, a national effort to teach both youth and adults how to play the organ.