Presbyterian College to host guest organist on Feb. 2
On Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m., in Belk Auditorium, Presbyterian College will host Sharon Rattray, organist for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Columbia.
Rattray received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in piano performances from the University of South Carolina. As an undergraduate, she received the “Most Outstanding Senior” award. In 1991, she participated in a chamber music concert at the Lincoln Center for the Mozart Bicentennial Celebration. Rattray has performed as a soloist with both the University of South Carolina orchestra and the South Carolina Philharmonic.
Before assuming her position at St. Andrews, she served as organist at St. Paul’s Lutheran, St. Andrew’s Baptist, and Shandon Baptist churches. She has studied the organ on a part-time basis with Albert Travis, William Bates, Louis Shire, and English Morris. Additionally, Rattray has participated in master classes with Michael Burkhart and Joyce Jones.
She frequently performs sacred piano/organ duo concerts with her sister, Allison. Currently, in addition to her duties as organist at St. Andrew’s, Rattray is staff accompanist at the University of South Carolina School of Music and accompanist for the Lexington County Choral Society.
Rattray will present a varied program of works from the Baroque period to 21st-century compositions. The focus of the program will be music based on great hymn tunes of the Christian faith. Attendees will find many recognizable tunes set in creative and interesting ways. Those familiar hymn tunes cover a wide range of styles from English cathedral music to African-American spirituals.
The concert is free and open to the republic.
Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.