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Details
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Artist: The Chenaults
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Category: Profiles
Named "the World's Premiere Duo-Organ Team" by The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Elizabeth and Raymond Chenault, duo-organists, have concertized extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Specializing in works written for two performers, The Chenaults have commissioned, arranged and premiered over seventy organ duets, thereby making a significant historical contribution to this slighted area of organ literature. Because of their unique and refreshing repertoire, combined with their exciting and sensitive artistry, the Chenaults are in demand as recitalists and have extablished themselves as America's leading duo-organists.
The Chenault’s duet career began in 1979 when Arthur Wills of England’s Ely Cathedral composed Toccata for Two for them, followed by John Rutter’s Variations on An Easter Theme in 1982. Both duets were premiered by the Chenaults at Washington Cathedral and are published. They have been featured recitalists at numerous national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Anglican Musicians, the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, the Atlanta Summer Organ Festival, the International Summer Organ Festival at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in San Diego, Helzberg Hall (Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO), the East Texas Pipe Organ Festival, the Crystal Cathedral, the Mormon Tabernacle, Washington National Cathedral, St. Paul’s Cathedral (London), Woolsey Hall (Yale University), York Minster Cathedral (England) and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. The Chenaults also have commissioned duets from Ronald Arnatt, David Briggs, Charles Callahan, Melinda Clark, Pamela Decker, Alan Gibbs, Naji Hakim, Gerre Hancock, Rachel Laurin, Gaston Litaize, Douglas Major, Jefferson McConnaughey, Philip Moore, Bruce Neswick, Dorothy Papadakos, Stephen Paulus, Craig Phillips, Daniel Pinkham, Robert Powell, Myron Roberts, Richard Shephard, Conrad Susa, Paul Lindsley Thomas and Nicholas White. Additionally, The Chenaults have arranged several pieces for organ duet, including several popular Christmas carols, Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” and a medley of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera”, and Rossini's "William Tell Overture Finale".
Mr. and Mrs. Chenault, natives of Virginia, completed their Bachelor of Music degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University studying organ with Lawrence Robinson. Mr. Chenault received his Master of Music degree in organ performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he and Mrs. Chenault studied organ with Wayne Fisher. Upon graduation, Mr. Chenault became a Fellow in Church Music at Washington Cathedral studying with Dr. Paul Callaway. Other organ teachers include Harold Abmyer, Arthur Poister and John Fenstermaker.
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