A recital in honor of Roy Kehl was held July 27 at Alice Millar Chapel on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The well-attended event honored Roy Kehl, one of Chicago’s finest organists and music supporters.
Following a welcome address by Millar Chapel Chaplain Timothy Stevens, organists Stephen Alltop, William Aylesworth, Margaret Kemper, Wolfgang Rübsam, David Schrader, John Sherer, Morgan Simmons, and Margaret Wilson, with tenor Kurt Hansen, performed music of Alain, Bach, Bolcom, Simmons, Thompson, Vierne, and Widor, on the 100-rank, four-manual Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ in Millar Chapel. A festive reception followed the recital.
Roy Kehl earned a Bachelor of Music in organ at Oberlin College Conservatory, 1958, a Master of Music in organ at Ohio State University, 1960, and did additional graduate study at Syracuse University and Northwestern University.
He has served as organist and choirmaster at Kenmore United Methodist Church, Buffalo, New York, 1962–67; associate professor of organ, Houghton College, Houghton, New York, 1967–69; assisting organist, Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, 1969–71; and choirmaster and organist, Church of the Ascension (Episcopal), Chicago, Illinois, 1971–79.
He was a member of the Standing Commission on Church Music of the Episcopal Church, 1981–85, and has been researcher and archivist for Steinway & Sons since 1981.
September 27, 2010
THE DIAPASON
