Foundation President Publishes Third Article on Attendance at Organ Recitals

In April, 2016, Pipe Organ Foundation President Carl Dodrill published a third paper in The American Organist (vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 56-63), the journal of the American Guild of Organists.  Like the first two papers, the article is a scientific and statistically-based study on attendance at organ recitals and what attracts people to these events.  The first two papers showed that organ music will have greater appeal if it shows variety in musical style and if it is familiar to the audience.  In this third paper, four variables pertaining to the organist were examined in addition to the variety and familiarity of the music played.  In very brief summary, this article showed that the audience reported increased enjoyability of the music when 1) the organist was visible to the audience, 2) the organist spoke at least occasionally to the audience, 3) the organist showed enthusiasm and energy while playing, and, 4) the organist put creativity and novelty into the playing of the organ.  You may download a PDF file of the full text of the article below (click on the title).

Increasing Interest in Organ Recitals
The Importance of Organist-Related Variables

Carl B. Dodrill

Copyright 2016, by the American Guild of Organists.
Used with permission of The American Organist Magazine.