Cathedral Basilica to host First Friday Art Walk Recital

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, 38 Cathedral Place, will host a First Friday Art Walk recital at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, featuring organ recitalist Bruce Xu. He will play the works of Conte, Franck, Fauré, Duruflé and others.

Xu, from Sloatsburg, New York, was introduced at age 9 to the grand pipe organ in his local United Methodist Church. Within a month, he started organ lessons and discovered his passion. He participated in a high school program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied organ performance with Timothy Olsen and sang with the Cantata Singers (of UNCSA). He also became a music intern under his teacher at Augsburg Lutheran Church in downtown Winston-Salem.

In 2017, Xu won first prize in six organ competitions: UNCSA/Salem College High School Organ Festival & Competition (Winston-Salem, NC); Greater Columbia AGO Chapter Young Organist Competition (Columbia, SC); East Carolina University Young Artist Organ Competition (Greenville, NC); L. Cameron Johnson Memorial Organ Competition (Storrs, CT); AGO Quimby/RCYO Chapter Competition (Atlanta, GA); and AGO Quimby/RCYO Regional Competition (Jacksonville). As the winner of the regional competition, he was granted a hard-earned spot as a performer in the 2018 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Kansas City, Missouri.

Xu continues his organ studies at the pre-college division of The Juilliard School in New York City. Aside from organ, he enjoys playing classical piano; flute; jazz keyboard in Suffern High School's Big Band; and keyboard/vocal chords with his rock band Bismark. He is also a varsity soccer player for Suffern High School.

The concert is free and open to the public; a free-will offering will be accepted to help cover expenses of this and other First Friday Events. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For information contact Bernie Sans at Cathstaugmusic@gmail.com.