Kotzschmar Organ Summer Series Opens June 17

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathleen Grammer, 207-883-4234

Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ Summer Season 2008

All concerts begin at 7:30 pm

Pre-concert talks begin at 6:30 pm

Admission: $12.00 suggested at the door; under 21, free, unless otherwise noted.

All performances at Merrill Auditorium, City Hall, Portland, Maine

June 17 Ray Cornils, Portland Municipal Organist Classical with Kotzschmar Festival Brass

June 24 Felix Hell - Classical

July 1 Geroen Krahfoerst, Germany, improvisation - Classical

July 8 John Schwandt, Oklahoma - Classical/Pops

July 15 Frederick Hohman - Classical

July 29 Silent film - Tom Trenney featuring Buster Keaton Silent film in The General

August 5 Classical -Ken Cowan (John Weaver Celebratory Concert)

August 12 Dave Wickerham, Boca Raton, FL - Pops

August 19 Peter Conte Wanamaker - Classical

August 26 James Vivian Temple Church, London - Classical

Summer Demonstration-tour concerts - please check www.foko.org for detailed schedule, dates to be determined.

About the Kotzschmar Organ:
The Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, built in 1912 by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford, Connecticut, was given to the City of Portland by Cyrus H. K. Curtis. It is this nation's oldest working municipal organ. With 5 manuals (keyboards) for the hands, a 32-note pedal board for the feet, over 6800 pipes from ¬‡ inch to 32 feet in length, over 100 miles of wiring and weighing more than 50 tons, it is truly one of this nation's musical treasures.

In addition to the concerts listed above, FOKO presents an annual education program, "Meet the King of Instruments," in May and has commissioned the design and construction of the Kotzschmar, Jr., a small, portable, working organ intended for demonstration and educational outreach in school classrooms.

About the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ (FOKO):
The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ (FOKO) was founded as a non-profit organization in 1981 to relieve the City of Portland of the tasks of raising funds for the organ's care and repairs. FOKO present a wide variety of concerts including a summer classics and pops organ series, a silent film series and Music from the World's Great Cathedrals series.

For more information about the Kotzschmar Organ and the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, visit www.foko.org.

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