Image credit: Peiyao Yu
The first notes of the “Phantom of the Opera” overture seemed to rise from nowhere, swelling through St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in studio city with cinematic intensity. At the console of North America’s first Rodgers Imagine 359 organ sat Dr. Peiyao Yu, a classical keyboardist, whose Sunday afternoon performance capped months of collaborative technical work between musician and specialists to optimize the instrument’s hybrid acoustic-digital system. The recital marked a significant milestone not only for the church, but for organ music in the region.
The dedication recital represented an important occasion for the church community, with over $50,000 already raised toward the instrument’s $100,000 cost. For Yu, whose accolades include First Prizes at the 2022 Charleston International Music Competition and the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition, the event offered a meaningful opportunity to introduce this distinctive new instrument to the public.
The Rodgers Imagine 359, combining digital sampling with traditional pipe acoustics, presented unique calibration challenges. Yu worked closely with Nelson Dodge, President of Church Keyboard Center and West Regional Ambassador for the American Guild of Organists, to refine voicing and dynamic response. Their months of adjustments would be put to the test in this premiere performance.
Yu’s 90-minute program strategically showcased both her versatility and the organ’s capabilities through works spanning three centuries. Beginning with her own arrangement of the “Phantom” overture, Yu established credentials beyond mere performance. Her meticulously crafted transcription demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of idiomatic organ writing, with thoughtful voice distribution across keyboards and pedals. The arrangement’s effectiveness was particularly notable given that Yu has been focusing on organ performance for less than five years, having built her foundation as a pianist.
Her interpretations of Bach’s Partita “Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig” and Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of Animals” revealed her range from precise Baroque articulation to coloristic imagination. The first half concluded with Messiaen’s challenging “Méditation II,” whose complex harmonies emerged with surprising clarity under Yu’s hands and feet.
Image credit: Peiyao Yu
After intermission, Yu navigated Duruflé’s contrapuntal “Prélude et fugue sur le nom d’Alain” with notable independence of voices before turning to contemporary selections. The work’s intricate fugal writing and harmonic language demand both technical precision and musical sensitivity, qualities Yu demonstrated in abundance. Williams’ “Star Wars Medley” and Zimmer’s “No Time for Caution” from “Interstellar” then demonstrated the organ’s orchestral simulation capabilities. “I closed my eyes and could visualize scenes from the film,” one listener commented afterward, a testament to the evocative quality of both performance and instrument.
The recital concluded with Guilmant’s “Finale from Sonata No. 1,” showcasing both Yu’s technical command and the full resources of the new organ. The composition’s rapid scalar passages and dramatic chordal sections provided the perfect vehicle for demonstrating the instrument’s dynamic range. The enthusiastic audience response brought Yu back for three curtain calls, with many attendees rising to their feet as the final chords resonated through the sanctuary.
Each selection was strategically chosen to demonstrate specific aspects of the instrument’s capabilities: Bach for contrapuntal clarity, Messiaen for harmonic complexity, Duruflé for responsive action, and film music for digital sampling technology.
Dodge expressed particular appreciation for Yu’s performances and her active involvement in the optimization process. “Not all organists engage so thoroughly with technical aspects,” he noted, praising her extensive exploration of the organ’s diverse tonal palette rather than limiting herself to conventional registrations. He has shown interest in recording projects to document her interpretations, a testament to the success of their collaborative work. The installation of this particular model presented unique challenges, requiring careful balancing of digital and acoustic elements that Yu helped navigate with her musical sensibilities.
This dedication recital continues Yu’s impressive performance schedule; it follows her February program of film music at First Congregational Church of Riverside and a March Lenten recital at Stan’s Music Parlor. It also builds upon her previous success at St. Michael’s, where her Christmas concert last December—the first musical event at the church in many years—drew unexpectedly large attendance and raised $500 for the newly established Friends of St. Michael’s Music fund.
Yu’s exceptional audition for the church position last year so impressed leadership that they briefly considered concluding their search immediately. For a church that had gone years without a concert series, Sunday’s event represents more than just an instrument dedication—it signals a revitalized music program. As demonstrated by the enthusiastic audience response and Yu’s thoughtful programming, this new chapter in St. Michael’s musical life promises to resonate well beyond its sanctuary walls.
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