Hoch, Tidwell to perform at Valley church
Valley United Methodist Church, Marion, will present Burton K. Tidwell, organist, and Beverly Hoch, soprano, in a concert at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The special program is in recognition of the 95th anniversary of the installation of the church's first pipe organ, many pipes from which form the basis of the instrument serving to this day.
The event concludes the church's Sunday celebration following the Marion community's annual Old Settlers' Day.
Both Tidwell and Hoch are part of the church's family and well-known to the Marion community.
Tidwell claims both Caldwell and Marion as hometowns having spent his early years in Marion while attending elementary and high school in Caldwell. His early organ studies were with James Strand at Southwestern College, Winfield, followed by undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma and University of Kansas where he earned a bachelor of music degree in organ performance in 1973.
Hoch is a graduate of Marion High School and earned her bachelor of music degree at Oklahoma City University and her master's from Wichita State University.
After winning the Metropolitan Opera Regional Award, Hoch moved to New York and based her career there until her marriage six years ago to jazz artist Michael Steinel, professor at the University of North Texas. Currently, Hoch teaches voice at Texas Woman's University and maintains an active schedule as a performing artist.
Tidwell began work in pipe organ building while pursuing his undergraduate degree in Lawrence. Since then, he has been involved in various aspects of the creation of more than 250 pipe organs across the United States. Since 1999, Tidwell has completed a number of additions and revisions to the VUMC organ and soon is overseeing the completion of the third largest organ on the west coast in the Westwood United Methodist Church, Los Angeles. As a performing musician, he has presented recitals in several states and Washington, D.C.
The Hoch and Tidwell duo have collaborated on a number of concerts and in recording through the years. This past February, they were featured artists in the Rie Bloomfield Organ Series at Wichita State University.
The public is invited to attend the concert.
