Music At St. Mary’s to offer extraordinary organist Dr. Sarah Simko

On Nov. 8 at 3 p.m., Music At St. Mary’s will host Dr. Sarah Simko in a recital of organ music. 

Currently, Dr. Simko serves as organist for First Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Ky. In addition to her work in Lexington, Simko serves as the liturgical coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, maintains an active teaching studio, and performs regularly as both a collaborative and solo organist. 

Her scholarly work focuses on living women composers. She is a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 Class of 2017.

Simko has served many Presbyterian and Episcopal churches over her career as an organist in Michigan, upstate New York, and Ohio. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester and earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in organ performance from the University of Michigan.

She has presented recitals at Trinity Church, New York City; St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor; Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church, Detroit; Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit; Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, Massachusetts; and St. Paul’s Cathedral (Anglican), London, Ontario, Canada. 

Dr. Simko is a recipient of a Presser Foundation Graduate Award for the purpose of creating a comprehensive set of recordings of organ music by living American female composers. The goal of this project is to expand the accessibility of a rich and overlooked body of repertoire. She has given lectures (in person and virtual) and lecture-recitals on her work for the Women Organists and Organ Builders of North America; Historical Keyboard Society of North America; University of Michigan organ conferences; Grace Episcopal Church, Providence, Rhode Island; and the Pittsburgh and Detroit chapters of the American Guild of Organists.

While a student at the University of Michigan, Dr. Simko served as a Research Assistant for a team headed by Dr. Kibbie, Organ Department and Dr. Daniel Forger from the Department of Mathematics. This collaborative project focused on how the brain processes music, through detailed study of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Sonatas (BWV 525-530). Recorded rehearsals and performances of the Sonatas were processed using big data analysis techniques. In conjunction with this work, Dr. Simko has given coaching sessions on these Sonatas. 

Music At St. Mary’s Concert Series is presented by St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 234 N. High St., Hillsboro. These concerts are provided at no charge, but donations are collected at each concert which go toward supporting the entire year’s program. The concerts are followed by a reception where attendees may visit with the performer.