Andrew Kotylo: Home
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This past October, I had the thrill of a lifetime when I received the opportunity to perform at Yale University’s Woolsey Hall as part of the annual “Great Organ Music at Yale” series. It had always been—quite literally—my dream to play the famous Skinner/Steere/Hutchings organ from the time I was young, and this experience not only fulfilled, but surpassed my lofty, accumulated expectations about that instrument in every way. I don't think that it is often that our idealism about something in life proves to be less than the reality—and when that happens it is to be savored!
Every sound on the Newberry Organ is beautiful in its own right, and has something to “say.” Few other instruments (save perhaps the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia) exceed its expressivity and color variety in playing transcriptions, and of course, I had to put two on the program... The proverbial planets are aligned with the Newberry Organ, as it represents the perfect union of artistic vision of its builders, amazing acoustic into which it sounds forth and expert restorative care that it continually receives from the A. Thompson-Allen Company. Go visit Woolsey Hall and hear it in person if you ever can! If you don’t have this luxury any time soon , you can simply click MUSIC on this website and hear several pieces from the October recital. For a really nifty panoramic view of the Newberry Organ, click here.
In preparing for this recital, I was amused to learn (being a little fascinated with the idea of the supernatural as I am) that Woolsey Hall and the Newberry Organ have been reputed to be "haunted." After having several late night practice sessions where I neither saw or heard anything out of the ordinary (and also in talking with Joe Dzeda, who has cared for the organ for over four decades and likewise has witnessed nothing unusual), I regretfully realized that either these rumors were false, or I have no ability to experience the paranormal...
My special thanks to audio engineer Mateusz Zechowski for his beautiful recording of this program. If you are in the general vicinity of New Haven and ever need a recording done, I recommend him highly. Mateusz can be found on the web at www.studioteo.com.