The First Baptist Church of Asheville holds a monthly Bach’s Lunch concert

DIVINE TOUCH: Organist Tate Addis poses with the Second Presbyterian Church's organ following a performance in Kansas City in 2013. Photo courtesy of Tate Addis

The First Baptist Church of Asheville holds an ongoing Bach’s Lunch concert series, sponsored by the Academy for the Arts, on the first Tuesday of each month. The next installment takes place in the church’s sanctuary, at 5 Oak St., on Tuesday, July 5, at 12:05 p.m. In honor of Independence Day, the performance features American composers including William Bolcom, Norman Coke-Jephcott and Leo Sowerby, among others.

“Bach’s Lunch brings to Asheville a new exploration of the rich body of solo organ literature, which has served as the foundation of western music throughout history,” says a press release from the church. “It not only includes the definitive music of J. S. Bach, but also features music from other great composers as well as exciting new compositions [that] take full advantage of the wide expression range of the pipe organ — the grandfather of all instruments.”

Organist/pianist Tate Addis will perform on the church’s Reuter pipe organ. The instrument has four divisions, 46 stops, 42 ranks and 2,366 pipes. His repertoire includes music ranging from the works of Bach, Johannes Brahms and Nicolaus Bruhns, to more contemporary composers like Robert Elmore and Dan Locklair.

Addis, who earned his Master of Music degree from Yale University School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music, has held positions at the Berkeley Divinity School and the Episcopal Seminary at Yale during his time as a professional musician. He currently serves as organist at First Baptist Church of Asheville while pursuing the prestigious Artist’s Diploma at Oberlin Conservatory

Admission to the concert is free and open to the public. Boxed lunches (get it?) with a sandwich, salad, dessert and a beverage are available for $5 following the performance.

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About John Mallow
John Mallow is a senior mass communication student and Editor-in-chief of The Blue Banner at UNC Asheville. He enjoys running, mountain biking, ska and punk music, pizza and beer. He also wrote this bio himself, in the third person. Follow me @jmallowjr

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