By Christie Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is hosting Classical Melodies Organ Concerts on November 22 and 23, as part of the 2019 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Concert Series. The November concerts will feature Andrew Rogers playing popular classical melodies including Cinderella’s Waltz, Chicago, Bye Bye Blues, The Carousel Waltz and more.
The November concerts will be taking the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ back to its roots. The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ spent two decades entertaining customers at the Roaring 20’s Pizza Parlor on 28th Street in Grand Rapids, before it was moved to its current location at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Rogers is a professional organist who travels worldwide conducting theater organ concerts that accompany silent films. His musical studies began when he sought out the late Fr. James Miller while working at the Wurlitzer factory store in Dearborn, MI. He studied theater organ techniques with Miller and accompanied him on his tour of Australia and Norfolk Island, where Rogers appeared in joint concerts and solo engagements. He furthered his studies with Dr. Marilyn Mason through a Church Organ Studies program and traveled on two historic organ tours led by Dr. Mason covering France, Italy and Switzerland, where he played 58 instruments and participated in 10 public concerts. Currently, Rogers serves on the staff at the Michigan theater in Ann Arbor.
Concerts will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Meijer Theater at the GRPM.
Tickets for individual concerts are $8 for Museum member adults, $4 for Museum member children, $10 for non-member adults and $5 for non-member children. Tickets are available by visiting www.grpm.org/Organ or by calling 616-929-1700.
The third and final concert of the 2019 series will feature Dave Wickerman performing holiday songs on Friday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 21, at 2 p.m.
