October 7, 2022 Mario Buchanan
"The Pianist Explores the Pipe Organ"

Christ Church, Episcopal - 21 Aurora Street Hudson, Ohio 44236

9:30 Conversation
10:00-11:30 Presentation
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Mario Buchanan, Director of Music/Organist at Christ Church Episcopal, shares his expertise at the "King of Instruments". Mr. Buchanan will provide some practical avenues for instructors and students to approach the pipe organ. He will share some practical tips on how to approach a new organ, how to use articulation at the organ, mechanics on how an organ works, and simple ways to make hymns come alive. Come join us as we explore the great world of lively organ playing!

Mario Buchanan has served as Director of Music at Christ Church since September 2018. At Christ Church, Mario oversees the adult choir, a choral scholar program, an RSCM-affiliated Young Choristers program, and all musical activities of the parish. Mario also is the Director of Youth Choruses and accompanist for the Hudson Community Chorus. Before his appointment at Christ Church, Mario was the Gibbs Music Intern at Christ Presbyterian Church in Canton, OH, where he assisted Dr. David J. Kienzle in their dynamic music program. Mr. Buchanan began playing in church since the age of 15 years old. Since then, he has served Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian Parishes.

Born and raised in Akron, Mario is a graduate of the University of Akron where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, studying primarily with Valerie Thorson and secondarily with Nicole Keller. In addition to his college organ studies, Mario studied voice and remained active in various choirs throughout the area. Mario achieved the distinction of being the first organist to win the 2014-15 Concerto Competition for the University of AkronSymphony Orchestra with whom he performed Francois Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ and Orchestra in G minor to great acclaim. He has received additional organ instruction from Todd Wilson, Marie-Louis Langlais (widow of Jean Langlais), James David Christie, and Craig Cramer. Mario studied choral conducting with Samuel Gordon, Marie Bucoy-Calavan and has participated in masterclasses with William Weinert, Ann Howard Jones, and John Nelson. Mario is a Colleague of the AGO, serves as Dean of the AGO Akron Chapter, serves as the Music in Worship Chair for the Ohio Choral Directors Association(OCDA), and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the Association of Anglican Musicians (AAM). Mario is a music distributor for Cliff Hill Music.