[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] The time has come for me to wish you farewell. On December 31 I will retire as Portland’s 10th Municipal Organist. So, I hope to see you in December. These past 27 years have been an incredible and fruitful journey. During my first decade we expanded concert offerings, got many silent pipes and … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] The past year or so has been a very exciting time for me, and an exciting time for FOKO as well. I have gotten to meet so many wonderful people and have learned so much since joining this organization. These experiences have given me a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] This has been an historic year for FOKO, and for your Municipal Organist of 27 years, Ray Cornils. For those of you who have been distracted, Ray plays the mighty Kotzschmar for the last time as the Municipal Organist on Tuesday, December 19th at Merrill. Kotzschmar Christmas with Cornils promises to be … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] What a pleasure and honor it has been to serve as Portland’s Municipal Organist since 1990. We have come a long way together. In the 1990’s we focused on getting more of the instrument to function – replacing worn stop and key actions – so that increasingly more of the instrument would be … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] As we head into another wonderful Maine summer, you are surely making many fun plans. I am suggesting that you keep in mind this simple thought: Kotzschmar Tuesdays in August. Many world class organs of the world are readily available most of the time for performances. Many of them are located in dedicated … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] It has been a whirlwind few months since I joined the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ as the new Executive Director. It is hard for me to articulate just how exciting it is to be a part of this wonderful organization and to be working with so many people who are just … Read more
[one_third] [/one_third] [two_third_last] FOKO is very proud to include a portable, playable pipe organ as part of our education and outreach programs. Affectionately known as “Kotzschmar Jr.” (or K. Jr., for short) this remarkable instrument was built by David E. Wallace & Co. of Gorham, Maine. K. Jr. travels to classrooms throughout Maine and beyond … Read more
The Centennial Festival. In the days leading up to the Centennial Anniversary, FOKO hosted a spectacular week long festival of concerts, master classes, and exhibitions to celebrate the Centennial of the Kotzschmar Organ. The Festival concluded on August 22, 2012 with a Gala Dinner and Concert on the day of the Centennial. Merrill Auditorium was … Read more
David Peter Kirstein, lives in Scarborough with Linda, his spouse. They have three grown children and two grandchildren who live in Portland. They enjoy international travel, gardening and photography. David is a retired biomedical research administrator. A graduate of Bates College (BS) and Villanova University (MS) he spent 27 years at the Trudeau Institute in … Read more
This May, over 600 fourth through sixth grade students came to Merrill Auditorium for our annual Meet the King of Instruments Concert. Students heard a variety of music and genres from Bach’s Little Fugue in g minor and Vierne’s Carillon de Westminster to Nigel Ogden’s Penguin’s Playtime (with accompanying videos which captured the antics of … Read more
