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UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, March 8, 2024
8:00pm (Organ Recital) Harbison Chapel, Grove City College Grove City, PA https://www.gcc.edu/Home/Academics/Majors-Departments/Arts-Letters/Music/Performance-Schedule Friday, March 8, 2024 8:00pm (Organ Recital) Harbison Chapel, Grove City College Grove City, PA https://www.gcc.edu/Home/Academics/Majors-Departments/Arts-Letters/Music Sunday, April 7, 2024 6:00pm St. James-in-the-City Episcopal Church Los Angeles, CA https://stjla.org/ Sunday, April 28, 2024 3:00pm (Organ Recital) Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Sun City West, AZ https://www.ololscw.org/ Sunday, February 2, 2025 4:00pm (Organ Recital) Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Phoenix, AZ https://trinitycathedral.com/
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The spellbinding and artistically masterful performances by Adam J. Brakel have led to him being compared to Liszt, Gould, Bernstein, and Paganini. National Public Radio hailed him as “an absolute organ prodigy with the technique and virtuosity that most concert pianists could only dream of…he is the Franz Liszt of the organ.” His playing is distinguished for its energy, passion, and transcendent virtuosity that serves the music without distracting, and, most importantly, musical maturity and communicative power. Mr. Brakel is Director of Music at St. James Cathedral and for the Diocese of Orlando, Florida.
From the Critics
“An absolute organ prodigy with the technique and virtuosity that most concert pianists could only dream of…the Franz Liszt of the organ.”
(National Public Radio, Florida, August 2007)
“One of the most talented organists in the world.”
(The Chicago Tribune, 2014)
“One of his country’s most outstanding talents in classical organ music…not just possessing virtuosity, but a mature empathy remarkable in so young a performer.”
(The Sequencer, United Kingdom, August 2010)
“The Liszt piano transcription was absolutely phenomenally played.”
(The Litchfield Review, Birmingham, England, September 2010)
From the Presenters
“Having heard previous recitals and recordings by this amazing young artist, I knew that his performance here would be spectacular, and it was all that and more. His virtuosity is evident in all the most difficult repertoire, and his inner soul emerges in his sensitive handling of lyrical phrases. It is thrilling to observe Adam’s ascendancy among the “best of the best” organists.”
(Lawrence P. Schreiber, First Baptist Church, Washington D.C., February 2016)
“Adam’s playing is hair-raising, rhythmic, and musical…”
(Donald Fellows, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA, March 2006)
“His Bach Trio Sonata sparkled with delight and energy and the Liszt transcription was played with commanding authority. He has a formidable technique which he brings to all of his music making, coupled with a refined sense of musicianship. His comments during the recital endeared him to the audience…”
(John Sherer, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL, March 2011)
“Adam Brakel’s performance at St. James’, Los Angeles, was breathtaking in every way: sublime musicianship, engaging program, imaginative registrations, and all under control of a flawless technique. His standing ovation was well deserved.”
(James Buonemani, St. James Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, CA, January 2012)
About His Recordings
“Throughout the entire program, Brakel’s spellbinding virtuosity never becomes an end unto itself, but always serves the music. He has a keen sense for phrasing and line, superb rhythmic control, contrapuntal and linear clarity, and a fine sense of color. He is a musical force to be reckoned with…highly capable of communicative lyricism, a sure grasp of musical structure and counterpoint, and incendiary virtuosity. Combining all of these is truly exhilarating.”
(The American Organist, October 2014, about his Romantic and Virtuosic CD recording)
Romantic and Virtuosic, Raven #OAR-933
Recorded at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Palm Beach, Florida
Works of Buck, Nanney, Bonnet, Reger, Fletcher, Liszt, and Demessieux
In Times of Crisis, Raven #OAR-956
Recorded at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Works of Gade, Widor, Buxtehude, Bach, Rone, Bruhns, deGrigny, and Eben