Remembrance Sunday Organ Recital

RCCO member Bruce McKenzie, who plays at Canadian Memorial United Church, is being featured in an organ concert on the church’s newly digitized three manual Casavant pipe organ.  The program highlights music connected with Remembrance, so we can expect works by  J.S. Bach, Bédard, Barber, Elgar, Stanford, Willan and a brand new work by the young German organist Paul Fey – “Fanfare for a Farewell”.  The concert will also showcase some of the songs that have come to define the World Wars musically here in Canada.  There will be several opportunities for the audience to sing along with favourite wartime hymns and secular songs, led by members of the CMUC’s in-house singing group.

Canadian Memorial United Church has an interesting history, being in fact a National Church built with money from all over the world.  The amazing stainless windows were donated by every Canadian province.  The original memorial pipe organ is a gift of citizens of the United States of America in memory of American soldiers who fought and died alongside Canadian soldiers in WWI.  The church displays the only copy of the National Books of Remembrance outside of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.  These books contain the names of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and will be opened for public viewing.  People can look for the names of their relatives and friends.

The Remembrance concert is the first in Canadian Memorial’s planned three part organ series which will include a Christmas concert with organist John Mitchell on December 10, and another show in January.

The concert series is designed as a fundraiser for the ongoing maintenance of the 95 year old organ.

Formerly from Saskatchewan, Bruce can be seen regularly at the Canadian Memorial United Church pipe organ console.  Musical studies in piano and organ led to a series of appointments as organist, and assistant organist positions, in Saskatchewan and Alberta.  Bruce studied with noted Canadian organist Dr. Neil Cockburn at Calgary’s Mount Royal University.  In Vancouver, Bruce is a sought after organist playing supply at city and area churches. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a Diploma in Pipe Organ Performance from the Royal Canadian College of Organists.