Michael Plagerman, organ
Edward Elgar – Sonata in G Major, Op. 28
Louis Vierne – Symphony No. 6 in B minor

We welcome Michael Plagerman to St. James for our final concert in the 2023 summer series. Elgar’s Sonata in G major, Op. 28, perfect repertoire for the Cathedral’s Hutchings-Votey organ, is his only sonata composed for the organ, first performed in 1895. Vierne’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, the last major work that he composed (finished in the summer of 1930) will showcase the tonal colors of the Rosales organ.

Concert length is approximately one hour with no intermission.

Michael Plagerman is the Director of Sacred Music at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Seattle, where he oversees concert planning, shares organ duties, and directs the parish choir as well as the cantorei, a professional vocal ensemble that sings choral masses and concerts throughout the year. Michael holds degrees from Pacific Lutheran University, the University of Notre Dame, and Cornell University where he studied with Paul Tegels, Craig Cramer, Douglas Reid, Nathan Laube, Christophe Mantoux, and Annette Richards. In the completion of these degrees, he has received numerous scholarships and awards including the James D. Holloway Scholar, the David P. Dahl Organ Scholar, and the Craig Cramer Award in Organ Performance. He is currently finishing his doctoral dissertation through Cornell University, researching late 19th-century American organ performance in Boston.

After each concert in the summer series, join us outside in the Archbishop Murphy Courtyard (south side of the Cathedral) for a free gelato reception and an opportunity to meet the artists!