Pulling Out All Stops

The Organists

Born in The Netherlands, Aart Bijkerk pursued his musical training at an early age, studying with renowned organists such as Frans van Tilburg and Herman van Vliet. Aart has specialised in the works of the French romantic composers such as Dupré, Guilmant, Vierne, and Widor. In 1998 he played the complete 8th symphony from Charles-Marie Widor during the Widor Festival in the St Joriskerk (Saint George's Church) in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.  A frequent participant in organ competitions on the historic eighteenth-century organ in the Grote Kerk of Maassluis, Aart was twice awarded first prize.  He has served as organist for a number of churches in The Netherlands, and since immigrating to Canada he is connected with the Canadian Reformed Church in Yarrow, and frequently is a guest organist at the Abbotsford and Chilliwack Churches.

Cindy Ma, grew up in mainland China, from a family passionate in classical music. She went to the States for graduate school in engineering before coming to Canada. In Vancouver, she's been taking organ lessons, playing in member recitals, and going to  concerts. She currently works in a financial institution as a senior software developer and she owns a cat with amazing energy, who constantly improvises on the piano.

Christopher Dalton started his journey of passion and exploration into all aspects of the pipe organ as a youngster attending Sea Scouts in Esquimalt, BC.  His troop did a gathering at a Sunday service in front of the late 1800s organ at St Peter & St Paul's Anglican Church.  Hearing that organ inspired him thereafter to learn more about the rich and diverse nature of these great instruments and their builders.  To date he has tried out over 160 different pipe organs throughout Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.  An organ historian and author of the 2010 publication Pipe Organs of British Columbia, Christopher approaches the instrument by trying out different and unique registrations while using free improvisation in a form of musical meditation.  On rare occasions he has performed his music in public during church services and special events such as this one.

Gerald Harder undertook initial organ study with Richard Unfreid at Biola University in Los Angeles, and graduate study in organ performance and choral conducting at the University of Western Ontario in London. Gerald holds the Associate Diploma of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. He has served churches in Los Angeles, Ottawa, Victoria, and Vancouver as organist and music director.  Since 2000 he has been Organist & Choirmaster at St James' Anglican Church, Vancouver, where he directs a comprehensive program of liturgical music. Gerald sings bass with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, and is active locally as an accompanist.

Vancouverite Isaac Howie has always loved making music.  A student of piano and composition since early childhood, his musical career has included founding a jazz trio, composing and performing for concert bands, publishing electronic music, and winning awards for solo piano.  He entered the University of British Columbia at 15, where he currently studies organ under the mentorship of Professor Michael Dirk.  Alongside his pursuit of a BMus, Isaac is Organist at Holy Family Parish, and he holds an ARCT in piano and studies harpsichord with Alex Weimann.  In 2021, Isaac was division winner of the Vancouver Chamber Choir's Young Composers' Competition.  This year, he has been invited to the semifinals of the RCCO National Organ Competition.  In his spare time, Isaac enjoys building computers and translating Ancient Greek texts.

PJ Janson studied organ performance with Frederick Geoghegan, Suzanne Gibson, and Erich Schwandt.  He received his education at the University of Victoria, and after completing his PhD in musicology he was on the music faculty at Augustana University College (now part of the University of Alberta).  PJ has served as organist at various churches, including St John the Divine Anglican Church, St Aidan’s, and St Matthias (Victoria), and All Saints Church (Christchurch, UK).  He is active as a composer, and he has been assistant organist at St James' Anglican Church since 2015.  PJ is thankful to those who support him in his music endeavours — including his cat, who wakes him up early every morning, reminding him to put in 90 minutes of practice on the organ bench.

Rachel Alflatt has given concerts throughout the province of Quebec, as well as in Ontario, New Brunswick, and British Columbia.  She has also performed with the West Coast Symphony Orchestra, the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Philharmonic, and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, and has recorded for the CBC’s French network, Radio-Canada FM.  She was organist and music director at Queen’s Avenue United Church in New Westminster from November 2001 until January 2023 and is now minister of music at First Lutheran Church in Vancouver.  She is active as an organ teacher and runs the music publishing company Éditions Cheldar, which she owns with her husband, Denis Bédard.