In 2018, First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta presented a concert with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for the dedication of their sanctuary organ. Now the ASO will perform another special concert at the historic congregation in Midtown. Jens Korndörfer is the organist extraordinaire and music director at First Presbyterian. He joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes via Zoom to share his appreciation for the instrument and its new collaboration with the symphony.
Korndörfer has wanted to hear a specific piece performed at First Presbyterian for some years now: Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3, also known as the “Organ Symphony.” “Four years ago, when we had the dedication concerts for the organ … we could not do it back then because we did not have a grand piano as part of the sanctuary set up, and it would have taken up too much space to bring in one,” he said. However, the church has rectified this and created a special ramp and platform for its new grand piano.
With the space prepared, Korndörfer called up the ASO and invited them to come and perform the Saint-Saëns, saying, “Maybe, given that you will be over and we have the organ and this beautiful sanctuary, what about doing Poulenc as well?” Though delayed by COVID by over a year, the entire program is finally ready to share with Atlanta audiences.
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