Organist Daniel Ficarri to Perform Oct. 22

Acclaimed organist and composer Daniel Ficarri will perform at the next Performance Music at The University of Scranton event on Oct. 22
Acclaimed organist Daniel Ficarri will be the featured performer in a recital presented by Performance Music at the University of Scranton Sunday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center.
Acclaimed organist Daniel Ficarri will be the featured performer in a recital presented by Performance Music at the University of Scranton Sunday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center.

Organist and composer Daniel Ficarri will be the featured performer at the next Performance Music at The University of Scranton event, an organ recital, on Sunday, Oct. 22. The concert will begin at 3 p.m. inside the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

At the recital, Ficarri will be performing on the center’s completely restored Austin Opus 301 Symphonic Organ, according to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga.

“Since restoring this organ, I’ve been very careful about curating it. We try to do solo feature recitals at least once a semester with a world-class organist,” Boga said. “The performers love the organ. Word has gotten out on the instrument. There’s almost a cachet in coming to Scranton to play the organ.”

This will be Ficarri’s first performance at the University. Boga said she has yet to meet the young organist, unlike most of the musicians she invites to the campus.

That said, Ficarri came highly recommended by his friend David Ball, who played a few Ficarri compositions during his most recent Performance Music organ recital. Both Ficarri and Ball studied at Juilliard under the tutelage of Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs. 

“David played these pieces by this composer I never heard of that just spun my head. I loved them,” Boga said. “He said, ‘They’re written by a student from the (Juilliard) studio, Dan Ficarri.’ And he just had the best things to say about him.”

Ficarri has been making a name for himself as a soloist and ensemble musician in New York City. Among other accolades, Ficarri’s recent performance of John Cage’s “Souvenir” for organ was touted as one of the “Week’s 8 Best Classical Music Moments” by The New York Times. In addition, he has appeared at the WQXR Bach Organ Marathon, and has performed at recitals throughout the United States.

Currently the Organ Scholar at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan, Ficarri spearheaded the church’s organ restoration project and founded the “Sacred Sounds at St. Paul’s” concert series.

“He does it all. He plays, he curates, he advocates and he composes,” Boga said. “I’m really excited to have him come. And he will be playing at least one of his own compositions.”

“It’s always good to bring new people into the Performance Music fold,” she continued. “And the most important thing is that it be a great experience for the kids. I’m really looking forward to this.”

For more information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more on Ficarri, visit danielficarri.com.

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