The 2011 Roland Atelier Organ Festival recently concluded in grand fashion with an exciting National Finals event in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 7, 2011. Thirty-eight top organists from around the nation, ranging in age from 8 to 90, came to share their talents and compete before an enthusiastic live audience at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino on the famous Vegas Strip.

Now in its third year, the Atelier Organ Festival has rapidly grown from humble beginnings as a grassroots gathering in 2008 to become one of the most anticipated music events of the year. A collaborative effort between Roland and its nationwide network of Atelier dealers, the festival’s mission is to celebrate the hobby of organ playing and allow organists to interact with each other, showcase their skills, and share their enthusiasm for the instrument they love. Additionally, the festival’s Youth divisions expose hundreds of kids to playing the Atelier that might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Beginning in February 2011, regional Roland Atelier Organ Festival events were held at select Roland organ dealers across the country. These local community events included workshops, appearances by Roland artists, and performance competitions for organists of all ages and experience levels.

With all their expenses paid, 38 winners of local competitions arrived in Las Vegas as Roland’s guests to compete at the daylong National Finals gathering. Competitors participated in one of five different divisions: Professional, Advanced Hobbyist, Hobbyist, Youth 1, and Youth 2. All the organists performed on Roland’s flagship AT-900 Atelier Organ before the assembled crowd.

The trio of respected musicians brought together to judge the performances included organist extraordinaire Chris Anderson, concert artist Rosemary Bailey, and organist/clinician Tom Folenta. The judges used a points system to grade the performances, giving scores for technique, interpretation, and orchestration. Those three scores were then tallied together to create a final score, with the highest point totals determining the division winners.

In the fun and relaxed atmosphere of a daylong music festival, the audience enjoyed a continuous stream of fine performances. Chris Halon, Roland U.S. Director of Product Management, was the event emcee, introducing the performers and talking with them afterward on stage. Each of the 38 organists played a single musical piece, and their divergent selections showcased their unique musical talents as well as the extraordinary versatility of the Music Atelier. In addition to its wonderful organ voices and diverse rhythms, players incorporated the Atelier’s onboard orchestra of sounds, including piano, harpsichord, strings, horns, accordion, voices, and more.

Kicking off the competition was the Hobbyist division, which included 11 organists. Paul Bennett from The Villages, Florida, was the winner in this category, performing an outstanding medley of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, including “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Strangers in the Night,” and “New York, New York.”

Next was the Advanced Hobbyist division, which featured nine organists. Yuko Otaki from Sunnyvale, California, was the winner, playing her arrangement of the Ástor Piazzolla composition “Libertango.” Cathleen Smith from The Villages, Florida, ran a close second, earning a Distinctive Performance Award from the judges for her performance of “The Heather on the Hill” from the musical Brigadoon.

After a lunch break, the competition resumed with the Youth 1 division. Among seven participants, 10-year-old James Shawcross from Penn Valley, California, came out on top. He played Clementi’s “Sonatina,” spicing up the classical piece with rhythm from AT-900. As with the Advanced Hobbyists, the competition was extremely close; Cameron Heran, an eight-year-old from Vero Beach, Florida, earned a Roland Rising Star award for his performance of “Dambusters March” by Eric Coates.

The Professional division was next, with Gregg Isett from Newcastle, California, taking top honors among a field of four. Gregg, an organ teacher and artist who performs organ music for classic silent films, played a beautiful rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar. His arrangement also included melodic references to the musical’s theme song, where he made impressive use of the AT-900’s onboard vocal choir sounds.

The competition concluded with the Youth 2 division and its seven participants. Seventeen-year-old Camilla Evangelista won this category with her spirited performance of the famous song “Brazil” by Ary Barroso. Camilla’s victory continues a winning tradition for her family at the Atelier Festival—her younger brother Brent placed first in the Youth 1 division in 2010.

Adult winners each received a $500.00 cash prize, while youth winners received a $500.00 music scholarship. In addition, all the winners received a Roland R-05 WAVE/MP3 Recorder.

Before the winners were announced, Roland Product Specialists Rick DePiro and Trevor Root treated the crowd with a lively musical performance. Rick played Roland’s new ATELIER Combo AT-350C, while Trevor accompanied him on the TD-20SX V-Pro V-Drums, both showing off the capabilities of these powerful instruments.

The festival was an extremely enjoyable experience for all who participated, once again bringing together organ enthusiasts from around the country to share their passion for organ playing. When asked to give advice to those considering being involved in next year’s festival, Professional division winner Gregg Isett enthusiastically replied, “Go for it. It’s the most exhilarating, wonderful experience you’ll ever have.”

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