First Baptist Church
70th Anniversary Dedicatory Recital
December 12, 3:00 pm
On December 9, 1951, the new 4-manual, 44-rank, 2885-pipe Wicks organ at First Baptist Church was dedicated in a concert recital by the late Adolph Steuterman, organist and choirmaster at Calvary Episcopal Church from 1919-1975; professor at Rhodes College (then Southwestern At Memphis); and dean of Memphis organists. The organ was given by Dr. and Mrs. R.L. Sanders for the new church.
We are celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Wicks organ and its musical influence on this church and generations of its members and music lovers throughout the Mid-South during the past seven decades with a 70th Anniversary Dedicatory Recital on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary. We will honor those individuals who have sat in residence at this program during the past 70 years, and there will be one or two surprises on this occasion, including a historic look at the role that the church organ has played in our church’s history since the 19th century.
Our guest recitalists include:
- David A. Caudill, Senior Carillonneur at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, and Organist and Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church. David is the grandson of Dr. R. Paul Caudill, pastor from 1944-1975, and pastor emeritus until his death in 2002.
- David Córdoba Hernández, our church pianist and doctoral candidate in the School of Music at the University of Memphis
- Chip Houston, baritone soloist
- James Jones, organ recitalist and choral conductor
- Aaron Foster, our church organist since March 2017.
- John Michael Pfrommer, 16-year-old organ student and member of our church.
Be sure and mark your calendar to attend this memorable musical event and help us celebrate the importance of this instrument which has helped this congregation glorify God through our music all these years.
Soli Deo Gloria.