World-class Organist to Perform in Helzberg Hall March2020

With his unique performance style, Cameron Carpenter is smashing the stereotypes of organists and organ music worldwide. His repertoire is considered the most diverse of any organist, ranging from film scores to complete works of J.S. Bach, to hundreds of original arrangements.

Carpenter will bring his remarkable range of musical mastery to the Kauffman Center on March 4, performing on the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875. This custom-built instrument was commissioned to showcase incredible sound, elegant beauty, and perfect harmony, complementing the acoustic and visual design of Helzberg Hall.

Carpenter’s distinctive talent will emanate in this live accompaniment of Buster Keaton’s famous silent comedy The General. The historical film was inspired by the 1862 Great Locomotive Chase of the American Civil War. Carpenter will lend his unmatched skill to one of the greatest silent films of all time for an unforgettable musical and cinematic experience.

A former child prodigy, Carpenter trained at the American Boychoir School, the North Carolina School of the Arts. His youthful talent propelled him to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The Juilliard School in New York City. Carpenter is now the first solo organist ever nominated for a GRAMMY Award for his debut album Revolutionary. He has appeared with many of the great orchestras around the world and holds the 2012 Leonard Bernstein Award. In 2014, Carpenter launched his International Touring Organ—a monumental cross-genre digital organ built by Marshall & Ogletree to his own design. Carpenter also released his latest album, Rachmaninoff & Poulenc, in April 2019 on Sony Classical. The album features a live recording with the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra.

Along with his musical endeavors, Carpenter also lends his creative eye to the design of his own onstage wardrobe. Applying thousands of sequins to his presentation attire, Carpenter’s performances are a treat for the eyes and ears. Additionally, his diverse talents have allowed him to speak and debate at think tanks and conferences including TED, IdeaCity, The Entertainment Gathering, and many more.