The Frederick Symphony Orchestra’s latest guest for Symphonic Pipes at Hood College is Brian Bartoldus, an established organist from Fairfax County, Virginia.
Brian graduated from the Yale School of Music in 2011 and accepted a job offer as music director and organist for Frederick Presbyterian Church. Two months later, he founded and became the artistic director for the chamber vocal ensemble Third Practice.
In 2014, he became the Director of Music Ministry at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg and the Dean for the Central Maryland Chapter for American Guild of Organists. We sat down with the accomplished classical musician for this month’s spotlight:
Who’s your dream duet?
“Bach Collegium Japan. I think Baroque music is…the last moments of what we called ‘classical music,’ like the big, broad tent, where it still…has one toe left in folk music. They still get it, and this particular ensemble is incredibly competent, incredibly musical.
There’s nothing old about it. It’s just so now. It’s so fresh. It’s so real, and it doesn’t apologize. It doesn’t make itself something else. This is this music that made sense because human beings wanted to make music. It doesn’t matter what century it was made in. It’s just good.”
Who inspires you the most?
“[Argentine pianist] Daniel Barenboim, because, musically, he thinks absolutely nothing like me, and I’m completely convinced of every note he makes.”
What was your first instrument?
“I don’t know of a single organist throughout history where the organ was their first instrument. My mother was an organist, my uncle has his doctorate in organ, and it was kind of…a family business.
I just remember very, very clearly one day in middle school being told, ‘So, you’re switching to organ now.’
I really, really enjoy the organ. It spoke to me in a way that the piano didn’t and doesn’t. I married a very accomplished pianist, much more than myself, and I love listening to her play, but the nice thing about the organ is every note isn’t predestined to die away like with a piano. There’s continuous line to the sound.”
When and where was your first concert?
“I sang in church choirs. In middle school, it was in the context of liturgy, but I performed the Mozart Requiem in sixth grade, singing as an alto. There were a lot of early concerts like this, where I’d do some choral work once or twice a year.
By junior year of high school, I was singing at The Kennedy Center. It felt fancy…especially since I was the one person under 20 [years old] in the group.”
Why do you love music?
“The ability to try out other ideas and philosophies and religions and concepts than my own, and to put those words in my mouth or to convince other people to try them on. I don’t necessarily have to subscribe to them 7 days a week, but it forces me to stand next to someone who doesn’t think like me, who might not also agree with this…and…it brings me out of myself.”
How has music changed your life?
“My work has deep meaning for me. I would’ve enjoyed working in engineering. I would’ve, but I don’t feel like I’ve worked a day in my life.”
Catch Brian as the Frederick Symphony Orchestra’s guest solo organist on March 19, 2017, at Coffman Chapel for Symphony Pipes at Hood College. Grab tickets below: