Area Organist Wins Classical Grammy Award

Millions of viewers tune in each year to witness the Grammy Awards for "Song of the Year," "Album of the Year" and "Record of the Year," as well as watch for what the divas of today’s music will be wearing.

Missing from the hoopla surrounding the awards, presented on national television, are those won by artists in more than 100 other categories, such as “Best Classical Instrumental Solo Performance.”

That coveted honor was won by a Washington County-born talent, who became the first-ever organist to win the award in the 53-year history of the Grammys.

Paul Jacobs, who grew up in nearby South Strabane Township, took the honor over four other instrumentalist-nominees, for his Naxos CD, featuring the works of French composer Olivier Messiaen. The entire composition, entitled, “Livre du Saint Sacrement,” (Book of the Blessed Sacrament) is his second solo album. It is Messiaen’s last and longest organ work, comprised of 18 movements.

While celebrities gathered in the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the televised awards, Jacobs was busy in New York, preparing to leave for Phoenix the next day, where he is scheduled to perform with the Phoenix Symphony, to be followed by performances with the Pacific Symphony in Orange County, Calif.

Nevertheless, Jacobs said he was totally surprised to even be nominated for a Grammy, and up until the time when his manager called to tell him of the news, he never believed he would actually win.

“There were other great nominees, and it is truly an honor,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs, 34, studied piano, with Antoinette Resciniti, Susan Woodard and Vicky Sisson,  and later studied organ with George Rau, the director of music and worship at First Presbyterian Church in Washington. At the age of 13, Jacobs became organist for the Immaculate Conception Church in Washington.

He studied organ at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and earned his master’s degree from Yale. He is now chair of the organ department at Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He is the son of Mary Jean Jacobs Maggi and the stepson of Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi.

Jacobs has performed concerts throughout the world, and among his accomplishments, performed the entire works of J.S Bach and Messiaen in marathon concerts. Music critics have called Jacobs “one of the finest American organists today,” and have credited him with reinvigorating the American organ scene.

It is Messiaen however, whom Jacobs says wrote music that stimulates the soul, so suitable for organ.

“He’s a composer very close to my heart,” Jacobs said. “It’s not listening to organ music 101. It takes some preparation to listen to Messiaen. It was intended to be listened to with our utmost attention. Messiaen was a joyful composer whose music could be frightening, powerful and even terrifying, but if you’re willing to take a walk in this composer’s world, you begin to realize it’s ravishingly beautiful.”

“The power, the size, the palate of the organ and the colors available on the organ make it such a perfect instrument,” Jacobs continued. “One minute it can whisper, be terrifying the next moment and produce a thunderstorm of sound.”

Jacobs will receive his Grammy Award at a later time, and still marvels at his selection for the honor.

“Who would have thought that modern French organ music could be considered with the likes of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber?” he said.