The fifth luxury bus trip in five years brought the largest group yet--68 people who traveled on two luxury buses. Tom Hazleton welcomes the group, as he stands between  the IV manual79-stop classical organ on the right and the 4-manual George Wright theatre organ on the left.

Tom Hazleton marvels, as Steven Frank performs the "Concert Etude" pedal solo by Middelschulte, made famous by Virgil Fox and rarely performed today. Steven Frank's exciting interpretation of this tour de force has been recorded on the CD "Autumn Fires" and can also be heard on the amateur CD made of this concert at Octave Hall.

John Hong  performed his fiendish arrangement of the Sousa "Stars and Stripes Forever," which features a section in which his feet play what is normally in the orchestral arrangement  played by the piccolo. John also performed his colorful improvisation on "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Both performances are available on the Amateur CD of this concert.

After hearing the Rev. Peter Eunsung Hong play the piano with his son John on the organ in the powerful duet "Finlandia" by Linda McKechnie, Tom Hazleton said to Pastor Hong, "Never having heard you play, I didn't realize you were Rubinstein at the piano!" As a result, Tom changed the ending of the program and asked Pastor Hong to accompany him on a glorious improvised hymn arrangement  through different keys, as they lead the beautiful singing in an inspiring rendition of the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah." Said one person, "It was the best part of a great concert!"

During the "open console," Tom Hazleton assisted Ms. Joy Sommersett with her registration of the organ as she played Dale Wood's lovely "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and Bishop James Roberts, pastor of St. Thomas Liberal Catholic Church, New York City, gave her a standing ovation. Clifford John, organist of Union Congregational Church, New York City, followed with his stirring rendition of the hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King, " which incorporates the Fanfare on the Old 124th and an improvisation. Everyl Gibson, alumna of Juilliard School of Music, entertained the crowd with her upbeat performance of the Mendelssohn "Wedding March," which she explained was created when a bride told her the original version was too square.

At the intermission, people were able to make purchases, including CDs, books, videotapes of the performers, plus exciting organ music. New fans were made for the organ, as people realized how exciting music can be when played by superb musicians on state-of-the-art instruments.

The sound of a 21st Century Allen digital organ is like the finest large pipe organs and the finest large orchestras. When people hear this music, they are touched deeply. There were tears in many eyes.

CDs of the performers were made available during an intermission at the concert. Also available was the entertaining and highly informative, definitive biography of Virgil Fox. Steven Frank, the president of  the Virgil Fox Society, is one of the contributors to this book. Pastor Hong's daughter JiEun Hong and her family friend and Allen team member from Philadelphia Ms. Somi Woo took responsibility for the table and were delightful in the way they greeted the bilingual audience.

A 65-minute amateur CD
of this concert in Octave
Hall, is available.