Reception for Dr. Douglas Leightenheimer and Our Other School of Music Graduates

Dr. Douglas Leightenheimer with Alan Schultz. Photo by KCH.

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N. Wilmot Road at 5th St., will congratulate its Director of Music, Douglas Blair Leightenheimer, with a Festive Brunch on Sunday, May 22 in the Smith Parish Center, after the 10:15 AM High Mass. On May 12, 2016, he officially became Dr. Leightenheimer, obtaining his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona's Fred Fox School of Music. He presented his doctoral lecture recital, “From Couperin to Vierne: Liturgical and Stylistic Connections between the French Baroque and French Romantic Organ Mass,” at the University of Arizona on January 15.

The reception is also in honor of the three graduating seniors in the St. Michael and All Angels Choir: longtime choir member Jeffrey John Simpson, Janis Lynn Hedin, and Sandy Delozier. All graduated from the Fred Fox School of Music.

Jeff Simpson was a featured performer of Alan Schultz's Oratorio at Christmas.

Douglas Leightenheimer is a native of Portsmouth, Ohio, and a 1982 graduate of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He earned the Master of Music degree in church music from Westminster Choir College in 1984. Before arriving in Arizona, Leightenheimer served as director of music ministries for Venice Presbyterian Church in Venice, FL. for more than 12 years, and then as director of music at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, NC for 15 years. At First Presbyterian he had extensive experience playing a 1928 E. M. Skinner pipe organ (Op. 713), an earlier version of St. Michael’s glorious 1959 Æolian-Skinner organ. In 2012, he left Wilmington to pursue his doctorate at UA.

Upon the retirement of the previous choir director at St. Michael's, Jane Haman, in the fall of 2012, two parishioners recommended UA doctoral student Leightenheimer to fill the position. After an audition process, St. Michael’s was delighted to welcome Leightenheimer as its new music director, choir director and organist.

Doug at the organ, August 2015. Photo by KFB.

A board member of the Southern Arizona chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Douglas Leightenheimer has also served on the executive boards of the Sarasota-Manatee (Florida) and Wilmington (North Carolina) chapters of the same organization, including two terms as dean for each group. He is also a published composer and recitalist. In April 2013 and April 2014, he performed the Mildred Flood Mahoney Memorial Organ Series Concert at the University of Arizona. Recent solo performances include the 2015 summer series at Catalina United Methodist Church in Tucson. During UA's 2016 spring semester, he served as an assistant conductor with the University Community Chorus.

For more information please contact the church office at 520-886-7292, or see the church website at http://smallangelstucson.org/arts-and-culture/music/.

Prayers Requested

Prayers are requested for our music director, Douglas Leightenheimer, and his family.  Doug's father, David Lewis Leightenheimer, died suddenly on October 3. Doug and his father were getting ready to return to Tucson, when David suddenly passed away. The funeral for David was today, Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00 a.m. May David's soul and the souls of the departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen !

The Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Diana McCormick will take place, Saturday, October 10, at 10 AM. In honor of Diane, colorful attire would be graciously appreciated.

Also remember in your prayers Frances Hicks, who is currently in hospice at Sunrise at the River.

We must not neglect our prayers for those who are also in need of God's help.  Amen!

Nancy

Douglas Leightenheimer Concert on the Radio!

Dear Friends--        

Almost a year later, Arizona Public Media will broadcast the Mahoney Memorial Organ Concert that also doubled as my doctoral minor recital.  The information is below.        

Please feel free and encouraged to share this with anyone you feel might be interested.

Here's how to get the livestream:

Go to azpm.org (Arizona Public Media).  On the right side of the page there is a block that says "NOW ON CLASSICAL 90.5."  At the bottom of the block, click the orange button that says "livestream."

Thanks!

Doug



Upcoming Radio Broadcast:

The Mildred Flood Mahoney Memorial Organ Series concert, featuring organist Douglas Leightenheimer, presented by the School of Music at the University of Arizona

Recorded live in Crowder Hall on Sunday, April 27 , 2014

Broadcast dates:
Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. on the east coast)
Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. (midnight on the east coast)

Arizona Public Media - Classical 90.5
Community Concerts Series – Andy Bade, host
Tune to 90.5/89.7 FM - or online streaming at  azpm.org/classical

Program
William Walond: Voluntary No. 5 in G Major
James Biery: Elegy
J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E Minor, BWV 548
Emma Lou Diemer: Prelude on Ellers
Felix Mendelssohm: Sonata in B Flat Major Op. 65 No. 4
George Thalben-Ball: Elegy
Marcel Dupre: Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Op. 7 No. 3


The UA Fred Fox School of Music presented the annual Mildred Flood Mahoney Memorial Organ Concert, featuring organist Douglas Leightenheimer on Sunday, April 27, 2014 in Holsclaw Hall.

This program included “Prelude and Fugue in E Minor (BWV 548)” by Johann Sebastian Bach, “Sonata Op. 65 No. 4 in B-flat Major” by Felix Mendelssohn, “Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Op. 7 No. 3” by Marcel Dupré and works by Walond, Biery and Blair

Douglas Blair Leightenheimer is a doctoral student at the University of Arizona where he is a conducting student of Dr. Bruce Chamberlain and an organ student of Dr. Pamela Decker. He also serves as organist and director of music for St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Tucson.

Prior to arriving in Arizona, Mr. Leightenheimer served for fifteen years as director of music (organist/director) for First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Wilmington, North Carolina, the last three of which he also served as music director for the Schola Cantorum of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. Prior to his appointment in Wilmington, he served for over twelve years as director of music ministries for Venice Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Venice, Florida.

Mr. Leightenheimer is a member of the Southern Arizona chapter of the American Guild of Organists and has served on the executive boards of the Sarasota-Manatee (Florida) and Wilmington (North Carolina) chapters, including two terms as dean for both organizations. He is a published composer and recitalist, having concertized primarily on the East Coast and in the Midwest. In 2008 he was featured with the Wilmington (North Carolina) Symphony Orchestra performing "Symphony No. 3" of Camille Saint-Saëns and "Symphonie Concertante" of Joseph Jongen on First Presbyterian's historic 1928 E. M. Skinner pipe organ (Op. 713). Other recent solo performances include the After Noon Concert Series at Princeton University Chapel in Princeton, New Jersey.

Mr. Leightenheimer is a native of Portsmouth, Ohio, and a 1982 graduate of the University of Kentucky in Lexington where he was an organ student of Arnold Blackburn. He earned the Master of Music degree in church music from Westminster Choir College in 1984 where he was a conducting student of Allen Crowell and Joseph Flummerfelt and an organ student of Joan Lippincott.

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Concert Photos from Saturday

Here are a few photos from Saturday's Concert of Thanksgiving in honor of A. F. Schultz, featuring Mary Elizabeth Bowden and our own Douglas Leightenheimer. More photos will be on our Facebook page. Enjoy!