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Press Releases
American Organ Institute Honors Organist Diane Bish
American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma to Honor Distinguished OU Alumna DIANE BISH with Gala Weekend Celebration, Concert, and Scholarship in Her Name
On April 7 and 8, the American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma School of Music will pull out all the stops - organ and otherwise - to honor organist Diane Bish who is an alumna of OU and a worldwide ambassador for the pipe organ.
Diane Bish is arguably the most visible organist in the world today and is best known as the host of the international television series, The Joy of Music. Since 1982, she has hosted and produced a television series that reaches over 300 million people and, more recently, has begun posting selected YouTube performances to a large viewership around the world. A feat usually confined to pop musicians, few other organists can claim such a following and loyal fan base for over 30 years. Miss Bish’s performances have received rave critical reviews and standing room only audiences for organ recitals for nearly half a century.
The celebration idea originated with Jeremy Wance, Associate Director of The American Organ Institute, who approached Miss Bish's management by saying, "Everyone who is under 50 in the organ world owes a large part of their early awareness of the pipe organ to Diane. She’s done more for the pipe organ in the last 100 years than anyone, as far as making the organ relevant and accessible." John Schwandt, Director of the Institute, added, "All of us at the Institute share this common thread provided by Miss Bish. As this is Diane’s alma mater, we have the opportunity to invite her for an overdue celebration of her career." Wance went on to state their intention of creating an endowed organ scholarship in Miss Bish's name to honor her legacy and relationship to OU.
The weekend will begin Saturday, April 7, with a dinner in Miss Bish's honor at the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art on OU's campus. At 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, choir and brass ensembles from the OU School of Music will join the Institute’s faculty and students to perform a concert featuring music composed and arranged by Miss Bish as well as other favorite works. The gala will culminate in a champagne reception following the concert where Miss Bish will greet guests. Seating is limited. Full ticket, event, and scholarship details are available at www.ou.edu/aoi.
Miss Bish began organ study as a child with Dorothy Addy in Wichita, Kansas, and subsequently studied under Mildred Andrews Boggess at the University of Oklahoma, where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Miss Bish has always been a trailblazer in her field, from winning international competitions to receiving Fulbright and French government grants for study in Amsterdam and Paris with Nadia Boulanger, Gustav Leonhardt and Marie Claire Alain. In 1989, Miss Bish was awarded the National Citation by the National Federation of Music Clubs of America, an award for distinguished service to the musical, artistic, and cultural life of the nation. In 2016, the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists awarded her their inaugural Distinguished Career Award, instituted to honor people for exemplary service to the organ, choral music, and related fields.
Her unparalleled achievements as a young performer gave her the credibility and determination to launch The Joy of Music television series in the early 80’s as a platform for awareness and appreciation of “the king of instruments.” This tremendous outreach to the general public on behalf of the organ and Diane Bish’s longevity as a leading recitalist distinguish her in the world of music.
For interview requests, please visit www.dianebish.org or contact Janet Jarriel of JEJ Artists, Diane Bish’s representative agency. Jeremy Wance, Associate Director of the American Organ Institute, is also available for additional gala information and interview requests: jdwance@ou.edu.
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About the American Organ Institute:
Founded in 2006 by John Schwandt, the American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma is one of the largest and most diverse organ music programs in this country, offering opportunities found nowhere else in the United States. In addition to classical technique and repertoire, the program emphasizes pipe organ construction, improvisation, and theatre organ performance, making it a truly unique and invaluable place for the construction, study, and performance of pipe organ music.
About The Joy of Music:
In continuous production since 1982, Diane Bish and The Joy of Music are seen globally on independent and PBS television stations, numerous satellite networks, and JOMTV on YouTube. A library of over 500 episodes on the world's great organs feature famous instrumentalists, singers, ensembles, art, architecture, and local scenic beauty.
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