Organist John W. W. Sherer Joins Music Institute Academy Orchestra This Spring

The Music Institute of Chicago's Academy for gifted pre-college musicians collaborates with John W. W. Sherer, organist and director of music at Fourth Presbyterian Church since 1996, for a free performance March 3 at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 W. Chestnut Street, Chicago and a ticketed performance March 4 at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.

Both performances feature Poulenc's monumental Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani in G minor and Bolzoni's Minuet for Strings, conducted by James Setapen, and Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings, conducted by Roland Vamos.

"Poulenc's organ concerto, composed in 1938, is a favorite of organists and audiences, combining Poulenc's refreshing sense of wit and fun with his strongly felt religious devotion-a deft combination of the secular and the sacred," said Stetapen, Academy director and conductor-in-residence at the Music Institute.

The free March 3 performance showcases Fourth Presbyterian's Aeolian-Skinner Andrew Pipe Organ, Opus 1516, which underwent a rebuilding process beginning in 2012. The March 4 program at Nichols Concert Hall highlights the Music Institute's E.M. Skinner organ, Opus 208, which was fully restored between 2005 and 2007 and celebrated 100 years in 2013. The Music Institute is the only community music school in the region, and one of few in the nation, to offer organ and harpsichord instruction.

John W. W. Sherer
Hailed by critics as "a terrific musician," John W. W. Sherer has been organist and director of music for Fourth Presbyterian Church since 1996. He manages an active concert series at the church, with more than 80 events each year. He has led several music mission and choir tours in the United States, England, France, Cuba, and Guatemala. Dr. Sherer was recently selected as one of 50 prominent Chicagoans living with passion and purpose as featured in the book Bright Lights of the Second City.

Academy
Founded in 2006, the Music Institute of Chicago Academy quickly established itself as an elite training center for highly gifted pre-collegiate musicians. The program focuses on providing a comprehensive musical education that includes private lessons with Academy artist faculty, a rigorous chamber music component, a stimulating chamber orchestra experience, and accelerated music theory classes. Pianists additionally study keyboard history and literature, improvisation, and keyboard skills in an intimate group setting. A hallmark of the Academy is weekly master classes and enrichment offerings with some of the world's most renowned artists and educators. Vital to the program are significant performance opportunities for developing musicians. The carefully assembled faculty includes internationally recognized teachers and performers with a passion for developing young talent and an established track record of student achievement.

Music Institute of Chicago
The Music Institute of Chicago is dedicated to transforming lives through music education. Founded in 1931, the Music Institute has grown to become one of the largest and most respected community music schools in the nation. Offering musical excellence built on the strength of its distinguished faculty, commitment to quality, and breadth of programs and services, the Music Institute is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education and accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Pre-collegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS). Each year, the Music Institute's teachers reach thousands of students of all ages and levels of experience through private lessons; its early childhood program, Musikgarten; and its Suzuki Education, Musical Theater, Jazz Studies and Adult Studies programs. Music Institute campuses include two Chicago locations (Fourth Presbyterian Church's Gratz Center and St. James Cathedral), Evanston, Winnetka, Lincolnshire, Lake Forest, and Downers Grove. In addition, the Music Institute is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Chicago Public Schools through its Arts Link program. The Music Institute offers lessons and classes, and concerts through its Community Music School, Academy, and Nichols Concert Hall.

The Music Institute of Chicago's Academy Orchestra and solo organist John W. W. Sherer perform Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago, and Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston. Admission to the March 3 concert is free. Tickets to the March 4 concert are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students, available at musicinst.org/faculty-guest-artist-series or 847.905.1500. All programming is subject to change. For more information, visit musicinst.org.

Pictured: Photo of John W. W. Sherer (L) courtesy of Fourth Presbyterian Church. Photos of organ and James Setapen courtesy of Music Institute of Chicago.

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