Bryan Anderson and Yuri McCoy

Organists Bryan Anderson and Yuri McCoy present an evening that is equal parts intellectual provocation and sonic spectacle. The program explores the outer edges of the organ duet repertoire, pairing landmark works with bold reimaginings and an original composition that pushes both instrument and performers to their limits.

At the center of the program is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, composed two centuries ago and still sounding unsettlingly modern. Originally written for string quartet and later arranged by Beethoven himself for piano duet, the work has never been orchestrated. This new organ-duet transcription marks its first appearance on the instrument, offering a strikingly fresh perspective on a piece famed for its ferocity, density, and uncompromising originality. Even listeners well acquainted with the work are likely to hear it anew.

The program also includes Fantaisie à Deux by the late Rachel Laurin, a compact work of rhythmic vitality and color, and William Bolcom’s The Garden of Eden, a four-movement suite that moves from wit and earthiness to mythic sensuality and shadowed drama. A moment of sparkling levity arrives with Champagne Toccata by William Gillock, heard here in an effervescent organ-duet arrangement by Bryan Anderson.

The program concludes with a tour de force: Diabolical Variations on Paganini’s 24th Caprice, an original work by Yuri McCoy. Paganini’s infamous theme has long served as a proving ground for virtuosity, and McCoy embraces that tradition without restraint. The result is a wildly diverse sequence of variations that stretches technique, coordination, and imagination, redefining what organ duo music can be.

About the Artists

Bryan Anderson maintains a versatile career as a performer, church musician, educator, and collaborator. Named to The Diapason’s “20 Under 30” Class of 2017, he has been praised for playing of exceptional clarity and brilliance. Anderson is the winner of the 2023 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition, receiving the Pierre S. DuPont Prize, the largest cash award in the organ world, along with multiple international prizes in Canada and the United States. He serves as Director of Music at Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Church and School in Houston, where he oversees an extensive choral and liturgical program and curates an active concert series.

Dr. Yuri McCoy has been hailed by Gramophone magazine as an organist of “rare virtuosity.” Known for bracingly original programming and a commitment to lesser-heard repertoire, he is equally drawn to monumental transcriptions and contemporary works. His debut recording, Symphonic Roar, was released in 2022 on the Acis label and has been featured nationally on Pipedreams. McCoy holds advanced degrees from Rice University and brings a composer’s imagination to every performance.

Together, Anderson and McCoy form a duo of uncommon precision, power, and curiosity. This program offers a high-voltage exploration of sound, history, and possibility.

Program

Fantaisie à Deux - Rachel Laurin (1961–2023)

The Garden of Eden - William Bolcom (b. 1938)

Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Champagne Toccata - William Gillock (1917–1933), arr. Bryan Anderson

Diabolical Variations on Paganini’s 24th Caprice - Yuri McCoy (b. 1985)