With his music performances gracing locations such as France, Poland, Canada and various cities across America, Andrew Henderson has worked for years to become a world-renowned organist.

Henderson is adding Syracuse to his map of travels and will play a free concert at 8 p.m. in the Crouse Auditorium on Tuesday. His performance will include works by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, according to the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ website.

Henderson is currently the Director of Music & Organist at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Associate Organist Temple Emanu-El, one of the largest Jewish temples of worship in the world. But before earning his titles, Henderson studied the organ extensively to make it his life’s work.

“I starting playing the piano by ear around age 3, and then became truly interested in the organ by age 10,” Henderson said.

With teachers guiding Henderson at a young age, he became committed to the organ and consequently entered Cambridge University in England in 1996. There, Henderson gained a spot as an Organ Scholar in Clare College, sometimes playing three to four intensive concerts a week.

After Cambridge University, Henderson returned to the United States where he entered a graduate program at Yale University, and in addition, spent time studying at the Juilliard School.

Olukola Owolabi, a former classmate of Henderson’s at Yale and the previous Syracuse University organist, initially made the arrangements for Henderson to come perform at SU. With musicians being booked one or two years in advance, plans for Henderson’s visit began last September. Knowing Henderson’s playing experience over a course of many years, Owolabi thought Henderson was the best organist for the job.

“Because the Crouse organ has not been altered since its construction, players used to a more up-to-date organ have a harder time arranging music for the university organ, in a shorter period of time,” Owolabi said. “Andrew has such a varied experience as an organist. He is used to various types of organs, and has special insight to engage with SU’s students.”

Annie Laver, who now occupies Owolabi’s position, said the organ itself is worth noting. She said the instrument is considered a landmark in Syracuse with 3,823 pipes of power. The Crouse Auditorium organ was built by Walter Holtkamp in 1950, during the tenure of legendary SU organ professor Arthur Poister, Laver said.

Laver discussed how Holtkamp designed the Crouse organ with the intention of displaying its many parts, with attention to aesthetic value. Laver also stressed that the importance of valuing the university organ lies in it being a piece of living history.

“Like a snowflake, all organs are unique in the way they are built,” Laver said. “Every organ is a product of its time, and the Syracuse University organ has changed little since its construction.”

For Henderson, the complex nature of the organ and its large selections of music drive his passion for the instrument. Henderson equated the playing of an organ to the operation of a machine. While other organists might shy away from the challenges of multi-tasking, Henderson enjoys acclimating to different organs.

“Maybe it is the way my brain is wired, but I always enjoy the challenge of a new instrument, and customizing programs to fit that specific instrument.”

Published on March 17, 2015 at 12:01 am

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