Sunday, April 14 

Doors - 2:00 PM 

Concert - 3:00 PM 

Tickets - $17 

The Detroit Theater Organ Society’s long running Organ Pops Concert series kicks off the 2024 season with yet another marvelous musical afternoon at the Senate. This time around we’re combining the power of our Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ, (the eighth largest ever constructed) with the talents of yet another rising star in the theater organ world, Donnie Rankin!

Don’t miss your chance to experience the majesty, nuance and diversity of sounds that only a theater pipe organ can provide. 

Whether you are a lifelong theater organ enthusiast or just a curious music lover, we hope to see you there! 

About the Artist: 

Donnie Rankin was born in Ravenna Ohio and was immediately immersed in music. After hearing his great-grandfather Don Sr. play the electronic organ at home, Donnie first took an interest in the theatre organ at the age of three when he heard the sounds of the Wurlitzer at the Civic Theatre in Akron, Ohio.

After building a musical foundation in the school band, at age 12 Donnie’s family acquired their own organ and he began taking formal lessons. Classical piano training followed at age 16, and his budding talent quickly blossomed into first rate musicianship.

Since then, Donnie has won several competitions and awards, including being named the Overall Winner of the American Theatre Organ Society's Young Theatre Organist Competition when he was 18. After his win in 2007, Donnie began a 5 year journey studying with noted organist Jelani Eddington.

In the course of his career, Donnie has performed for several ATOS annual conventions, and has played for theatre organ audiences around the world, including appearances in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In addition to performances, Donnie has presented playing clinics as part of the ATOS Summer Youth Adventure and at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His work as an organist and percussionist have been broadcast on countless stations including NPR, and BBC 2. In 2023 Donnie was named the American Theatre Organ Society's Organist of the Year. 

Donnie resides in Ravenna, Ohio where he runs a piano studio outside of his normal working hours. He remains on call as an organist at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, and the Akron Civic Theatre.

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Ballet Folklórico De Detroit is a volunteer run organization that provides affordable dance classes to the community. Join us for their annual holiday concert of traditional Mexican folk dancing,

Ballet folklórico, traditional Mexican folk dancing, is not any one style of dance, but rather, the  combination of traditional indigenous roots mixed with African, Spanish or other European styles.  Ballet folklórico encompasses all of these various traditional, regional and ethnically diverse dances.

Doors - 2:00 PM

Concert - 3:00 PM

Tickets - $17

'Tis the season to listen to holiday music, and there's no better instrument to provide that festive soundtrack than a Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. (Okay, we're biased, but we think you'll agree!) That's right, we're carrying on tradition by closing out the 2023 Organ Pops Concert series at the Senate with a Christmas concert! This year we are featuring the supremely talented, Stephen Warner, an indefatigable champion of the art of the pipe organ!

But you won't simply be able to listen to unique theater organ arrangements of seasonal tunes on one of the largest theater organs ever built. Those timeless melodies will also be accompanied by the vocal stylings of Rose Warner, who will be adding to that yuletide cheer with the incomparable beauty of the human voice.

About the Artist:

Stephen Warner is the organist at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church in Detroit and a staff organist at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. He grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, where he studied piano from age seven and participated in almost every facet of the Traverse City Public Schools music program.

In 2003, Mr. Warner completed dual bachelor’s degree in organ performance and in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan. There, he had the opportunity to play the organ with many of the bands, orchestras and choirs, including the U of M Men’s Glee Club, which he was a member for 6 years. He studied organ primarily with Dr. James Kibbie and piano with Dr. Louis Nagel.

Mr. Warner studied engineering primarily due to his interest in organ building. He has had the privilege of working as an intern for John Brombaugh and Associates in Eugene, Oregon and now is an assistant for the Holden Pipe Organ Company in Ferndale, Michigan. Recently, Mr. Warner was awarded the David L. Junchen Technical Scholarship from the American Theater Organ Society. The summer of 2001 provided him with a unique study of the organ through a program called “Summer In French Organ Studies,” sponsored by the University of North Texas and the Bedient Pipe Organ Company. This program provided opportunities to perform on and learn the technical details of historic French instruments. This program has inspired Mr. Warner to consider a similar dual approach to studying the history of American instruments, particularly those of the 1920’s. The current application of this interest is in the creation of a fully illustrated book descibing the function and design of Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian's Skinner Organ. For this project, Mr. Warner has recieved the support of the Organ Historical Society through the awarding of the Mader Memorial Research Scholarship.

Mr. Warner has enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with his wife, Rose, singing with him in performances on both the classical and theater organ. He has also collaborated with long-time friend and saxophonist, Adam Olson, in recording and performing the works of vaudeville virtuoso, Rudy Wiedoeft. Lately, his performance focus has also turned to accompanying silent films, performing often at both the Senate and Redford theaters. Additionally, he has recently collaborated with banjo player Aaron Jonah Lewis on an upcoming album of traditional ragtime music entitled Ragtime Banjo Revival.

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society, a non-profit and all-volunteer organization, is supported in part by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 2:00 PM

Concert – 3:00 PM

Tickets – $17

The Detroit Theater Organ Society is proud to present another afternoon of mighty sounds from the mightiest of instruments the (aptly named) Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ!

That's right, it's another installment in our long-running Organ Pops Concert series at our home, the Senate Theater!

This time around we are pleased to host the 2020 American Theatre Organ Society Organist of Year, Justin LaVoie.

A native of Michigan, Mr. LaVoie has performed across the United States, dazzling audiences with his mastery of the instrument. Additionally, he has been featured on the nationally syndicated radio program Pipe Dreams and Steve Ashley’s Hot Pipes podcast.

There's no better way to experience and appreciate the full power and majesty of a theater organ than a live concert, and we can't wait to hear what Justin can do at the console.

We'll see you at the theater!

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Sat. Nov. 4 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

1hr 8min | NR | Comedy/Drama | USA

Live Organ Accompaniment by Lance Luce
 

Brace yourselves for the magical and magnificent sounds of our Mighty Wurlitzer!  

It’s another installment of our ongoing silent film series, Silents at the Senate. This time we’re screening one of the most significant, well regarded, and beloved silent films, The Kid. Watch as Charlie Chaplin’s iconic face and physicality grace our screen. Listen as organist Lance Luce enhances the action with the Senate’s powerful theater organ. 

A poignant and charming mixture of pathos and playful comedy, The Kid is a masterwork in visual storytelling and one of the most financially and artistically successful films of the silent era.  

It should not be missed. 

Released in 1921, The Kid marks a turning point for Charlie Chaplin, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film. Previously Chaplin had almost exclusively appeared in or directed short films, almost all of which were comedies. With The Kid, however, he set out to not only lengthen the runtime, but also break free from the constraints of pure comedy and create a perfect blend of what he termed, “raw slapstick and sentiment.” There was perhaps no better vessel to achieve that aim than through his beloved character, the Tramp. With his trademark ill-fitting clothes, silly mustache and clownish walk, Chaplin’s iconic vagrant had already delighted audiences for years. But never had he pulled so deliberately upon their heartstrings as he does in The Kid, which proclaims at the start to be, “a picture with a smile—and perhaps, a tear.” 

Which is exactly what our organ is built for. From comedy to melodrama, from epic and grandiose to idyllic and domestic, the theater organ is an instrument built to evoke the full spectrum of human emotion. But first and foremost, these instruments were built so that they might enhance the feelings a filmmaker endeavored to provoke within the viewer. Indeed, there is no better way to enjoy a silent film than with a theater organ, blasting air through its pipes and notes into your ears, blending its aural artistry seamlessly with the visual artistry on screen.  

We’ll see you at the theater! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Organ Pops Concert Featuring Dr. William Coale 

Sun. Sep. 10 

Doors – 2:00 PM 

Concert – 3:00 PM 

Tickets - $17

Our Organ Pops Concert series returns after a summer break for yet another concert in this decades long Senate Theater tradition. Our first of three concerts for the Fall/Winter 2023 season will feature Dr. William Coale on our Mighty Wurlitzer, making beautiful music befitting the majesty of our priceless instrument.

Dr. Coale is an experienced concert theater organist who has performed in concert in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden. Additionally, he is a scholar of the art of the instrument, having literally written volumes on legendary theater organist George Wright, a task that imbued him with a deep knowledge of the history of the instrument and its place in cinema history.

We hope to see you at the theater for yet another afternoon of amazing theater organ music!

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Doors - 2:00 PM

Concert - 3:00 PM

Tickets - $17

Our Organ Pops Concert series continues with organist David Marsh.

Mr. Marsh, hailing from southern California, has been playing the organ since the age of 14. He is an experienced performer, a passionate music educator, and a dedicated theater organ enthusiast. When he isn’t playing the organ in front of audiences or in his home, he gives private piano and organ lessons, serves as the president of the Orange County Theater Organ Society, and works as the executive assistant at the Los Angeles Organ Company.

The Detroit Theater Organ Society is proud to bring him to the Senate Theater to continue our tradition of presenting top-notch pops concerts on our Mighty Wurlitzer!

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts

Doors - 2:00 PM

Concert - 3:00 PM

Tickets - $17

The 2023 Organ Pops Concert series kicks off with a concert by the Detroit Theater Organ Society’s own, John Lauter!

Mr. Lauter, a professional organist with thirty-plus years of experience, has presented organ concerts in major cities across the United States and Canada. Additionally, he is a long-time church organist, an accomplished silent film accompanist, and can often be heard performing organ overtures before film screenings both at the Senate and Redford theaters in Detroit.

Come join us as we continue this six decades long tradition of organ pops concerts at the Senate!

Holiday Organ Concert Featuring Nathan Avakian with Vocalist Claire Avakian

Doors - 2:00 PM
Concert - 3:00 PM
Tickets - $17

'Tis the season to listen to holiday music, and there's no better instrument to provide that festive soundtrack than a Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. (Okay, we're biased, but we think you'll agree!) That's right, we're carrying on our tradition of closing out the 2022 Organ Pops Concert series at the Senate with a Christmas concert! This year we are featuring the mega-talented Nathan Avakian.

But you won't simply be able to listen to unique theater organ arrangements of seasonal tunes on one of the largest theater organs ever built. Those timeless melodies will also be accompanied by the vocal stylings of Nathan's sister, Claire Avakian who will be adding to that yuletide cheer with the incomparable beauty of the human voice.

We hope to see all you organ enthusiasts and organ curious folks there!

About the Artist:

Nathan is a songwriter, film composer, and organist based in New York City. Known for his unique blending of virtual instrument technology with organ music, Nathan’s live performances satisfy contemporary musical tastes and pay tribute to the historical legacy of the pipe organ.

Nathan’s fascination with the pipe organ began at age four with a visit to the Portland Organ Grinder, a restaurant featuring live pop music played on a massive theatre organ with all of its mechanics exposed. At age eleven he began nine years of private organ
studies.

Since winning the American Theatre Organ Society Young Organist Competition in 2009, Nathan has provided pipe organ entertainment across the United States and internationally. He has released several albums featuring theatre and classical pipe organs as well as virtual orchestrations.

As resident organist and composer for the International Youth Silent Film Festival, Nathan creates music that inspires young filmmakers around the world as they reinvent the art of
silent film.

Nathan scores historic silent films for Thanhouser Company Film Preservation as well as contemporary films by various filmmakers. His music has recently been featured in web series including Makers Who Inspire (Henry Thong) and The Creative Quarantine Sessions (Alex Whittenberg).

Nathan also has a growing collection of piano and organ compositions to his credit including “At The Square,” commissioned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Jersey Journal publication in 2017.

In 2020 Nathan and his sister Claire started a songwriting business called Passing Notes, writing and producing personalized songs for customers and their loved ones.

For more information about Nathan’s music, visit www.avakianmusic.com

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts

Organ Pops Concert Featuring Alex Jones

Doors - 2:00 PM
Concert - 3:00 PM
Tickets - $17

This Fall the Detroit Theater Organ Society is proud to continue our long running Organ Pops Concert series. For decades we have presented the best theater organists around for your listening pleasure, performing live in the Senate Theater on our one-of-a-kind Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. On November 13, the talented-beyond-his-years, Alex Jones will be gracing our stage and your ears.

Originally from London, Alex is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music where he studies with Prof. Daryl Robinson and holds a Graduate Teaching Fellowship in the Musicology department. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY holding a Masters Degree in Organ Performance & Literature from the studio of Edoardo Bellotti. He earned his Bachelors’ Degree in Organ Performance with Honours at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire studying under Henry Fairs & Daniel Moult.

He began his career by gaining a scholarship to study at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, UK where he also held the Junior Organ Scholarship at Manchester Cathedral. Whilst in Manchester, he appeared in concert with the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall, The Royal Northern College of Music & Selby Abbey. As an undergraduate, he was awarded the Anne & Don Smith Memorial Organ Scholarship to Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Birmingham and was awarded the William Taylor Recital Prize. He was also awarded a grant from the Birmingham Organists’ Association Leonard Gibbons Fund.

Upon relocating to the United States, he has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the Third Prize at the 2022 Elizabeth B. Stephens International Organ Competition in Atlanta GA, the Second Prize at the 2017 West Chester University International Organ Competition in West Chester PA, the First Prize in the 2017 American Theatre Organ Society’s National Competition and the Third Prize in the 2018 Royal College of Organists National Competition in the UK. He has given performances of Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani as a soloist and has appeared with internationally renowned Early Music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston TX. He has also performed with Publick Musick at the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery. He appeared as a guest soloist for the 2018 Lynchburg International Organ Festival in Lynchburg, VA and was awarded the Robert Carwithen Scholarship in recognition for excellence in the field of church music.

Alex is also a professional theatre organist and has appeared as a featured artist at the 2018 & 2019 American Theatre Organ Society National Conventions in Los Angeles, CA and Rochester, NY respectively. He has toured extensively throughout New York state having given concerts at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, the Empire Theatre in Syracuse, the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda and the Forum Theatre in Binghamton. He has also appeared at the John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, DE for the Dickinson Theatre Organ Society’s 49th Anniversary Season, Grant Union High School in Sacramento, CA and the Tampa Theatre in Florida.

As a classical recitalist, he has performed around Europe making appearances in France, Germany and The Netherlands. He has also given solo recitals in major venues in London including St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Central Hall, St. John Smith Square and St. Stephen Walbrook, as well as having performed at Lichfield Cathedral, St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge & Peterborough Cathedral. In 2014, he was invited as a guest speaker to appear at London’s Southbank Centre for the “Pulling Out The Stops” festival celebrating the re-inauguration of the famous Royal Festival Hall organ and has appeared in masterclasses with Olivier Latry, David Briggs, Wayne Marshall, Dame Gillian Weir, Bine Bryndorf & Pieter van Dijk. He is a published author, having contributed an article to the 2018 American Organ Historical Society Convention Journal.

Alex has previously held positions as Organist and Director of Music at St. Louis Catholic Church in Memphis, TN and as an assistant organist at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, TN and All Saints Episcopal Church in Tupelo, MS. He is currently the Organist & Choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, TX.

We hope to see all you organ enthusiasts and organ curious folks there!

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts

Organ Pops Concert Featuring Lance Luce

Doors - 2:00 PM

Concert - 3:00 PM

Tickets - $17

Lance Luce is an internationally acclaimed theater organist. He has played hundreds of concerts all over the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. In 2014 he was awarded Organist of the year by the American Theatre Organ Society. Most Recently he became the head organist for the Detroit Red Wings at the new Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit.

He has played concerts for numerous chapters of the American Theatre Organ Society and other affiliated theater organ groups and clubs. He has played for National and regional conventions of the ATOS in the United States and TOSA in Australia.

At age 18 Lance won first place honors in the Yamaha National Electone organ competition in California.

The next year he was appointed the Head Staff Organist at Radio City Music Hall in New York, on the largest Wurlitzer ever built.

Lance has been a church organ consultant in Michigan since 1991. He is currently the church organ consultant for Allen organs. He is also on the Allen Artist roster. Lance has designed and installed over 350 organs in churches, homes, and institutions. His background includes pipe organ maintenance, as well as electronic organ design, installation, voicing, pipe interfacing and MIDI implementation.

Today he is on the staff at the Fox Theatre and Redford Theater in Detroit, and the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. He has been a church organist for 45 years and is currently at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Bloomfield Hills.

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts