Meet the Man behind the Music! GFS Exclusive Q&A with “Brilliant Baroque” featured artist K. Bryan Kirk.
K. Bryan Kirk has served as Music Director and Organist at First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls since January 2005. A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Bryan leads an extensive graded music program, presents a variety of concerts, and is very active in the musical community, serving as President of the Glens Falls Symphony from 2008-2010. Bryan performs frequently in other venues and teaches piano and organ, in addition to composing works for his church and other choral groups.
You can experience Bryan LIVE on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 4 pm, at First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls when he joins YOUR Glens Falls Symphony for our “Brilliant Baroque” centenary concert in honor of the late Hugh Allen Wilson, Emeritus Conductor of the Glens Falls Symphony!
Exclusive Q&A with K. Bryan Kirk regarding “Brilliant Baroque”
GFS: How did the concert come about?
BK: Hugh Allen Wilson was the Music Director and Organist here at First Presbyterian for a total of 36 years, in two different increments, and 2025 marks the centennial of his birth in 1925, so I felt that at this milestone the Symphony and Church should combine efforts to honor his life and legacy, which were so intertwined with the GFS and the Church. I presented the idea to Charles, and he embraced it, and we went to work to plan a program and come up with ways to utilize the two pipe organs, harpsichord, and a Baroque-sized orchestra.
GFS: Who is Hugh Allen Wilson to you, and how are both your instruments, the organ and harpsichord, connected to Hugh Allen Wilson
BK: Hugh was my predecessor, and I knew him well during my early years here. I worked very hard to keep connections with him, invite him to concerts, and to gain insightful knowledge from him about the complex history of the organs here at the church, his involvement with the Symphony, and learn much about his pedigreed background as a conductor and organist. He was always willing to tell me a lot about" himself"!
Hugh was quite proud of his achievements with the Symphony, raising the standard to a professional level, and especially proud of getting the two large pipe organs in the church, and having them work as one large cohesive instrument, because the space is needed to help keep the congregational singing in sync. With more than 7,200 pipes, it is considered one of the finest organs in the country, and one of the 100 largest pipe organs in the USA.
The Gallery Casavant Organ was built in 1973 and given by Polly Hoopes Beeman, as the original chancel organ had failed. Hugh left the church in the 1960s to become Music Professor of Union College, so he was not around then so The Gallery Casavant was installed and served as the only instrument in the church, but it was not sufficient to lead singing effectively. Many years went by, and by the mid-1980s, Hugh left Union College and was asked to come back to the church to fill in for a few months, which lasted about 15 years! Early on upon his return, he wished for a grand chancel organ that would become a pinnacle and crown jewel of the church and area, and fix the problem of congregational singing not being together, and he wanted to have this new instrument be able to play the Gallery organ remotely from the front console, to provide a true surround-sound effect, like he had experienced in the great churches in Europe. He wanted to make his mark and "put the church on the map" as a concert venue, so he convinced Polly Beeman to donate funds for the new Chancel Organ, and his mission was accomplished upon its installation in 1992.
Polly also established a fund, the Beeman Music Fund, in 1992 to not only cover the costs of presenting a major organ concert for the community each year, but also to cover the routine tunings of the organs twice a year (a two-day job by Foley-Baker, Inc., a great firm who have maintained the organs since Hugh's time here. The income only from this fund has provided support for the annual Beeman Organ Concert and other organ concerts we have presented for 34 years, and covered the regular tunings of the organs, a very wise and prudent gesture!
Ongoing maintenance projects and other needed work on both instruments have been accomplished over the years with grants from the Wood Foundation and special donors, bequests, and funding to bring the instruments to finer and more reliable playing condition, lowering annual maintenance costs. I believe we have continued the original mission of the donors and Hugh's intent, and the mission of the instrument, to present great organ music and other concerts, tours, demos, teaching opportunities, competitions, and numerous other experiences, and to create a very special and memorable sonic experience like that only possible in very large cities and in Europe. This instrument is a pilgrimage destination for organists of all ages and abilities, and of course, its primary role is to create a strong and beautiful enhancement to worship services, weddings, funerals, and the like, which is well-known and well-received by all who hear and appreciate its musical integrity and value.
Hugh Allen was also a harpsichordist and studied with the legendary harpsichord virtuoso and teacher Gustav Leonhardt in the Netherlands. Hugh owned a two-manual Dowd harpsichord from the early 1960s. When Hugh died, that instrument, now in poor condition, was taken by the estate and sold, as it was not practical for our needs. I felt a sense of loss, as did Charles Peltz, that the Symphony should have a fine harpsichord to use for Baroque music, to serve as a teaching instrument for area students, and to enhance the services and concerts at the church.
I approached the Board about this dilemma, and we gratefully received support from many individuals and the Wood Foundation to get sufficient funds to procure a quality harpsichord to bear Hugh's name in his memory, that would be owned by the Symphony, live in the church where he worked for so long, and be used regularly by the Symphony, students and the Church. I searched for two years and traveled to try many instruments, and finally found this one in Massachusetts, a single manual William Dowd Harpsichord built in Boston in 1967. It is quite beautiful, suits our needs perfectly, and has been well received, as it has superb sound and a simple, elegant look. I maintain it, tuning it monthly, and performing minor repairs as needed. We also humidify it during the winter to keep it in good order. The harpsichord provides an interesting and unique sound bridge as a precursor to the modern piano, and students enjoy exploring it, playing Baroque and early Classical music on it, and I certainly love playing it and using it in services often.
GFS: What makes Baroque music so special? And what instrumentation can we expect to experience with a Baroque orchestra?
BK: Baroque music is usually thought of as being complex and not easily approachable, but without it, we would not have the Classical or Romantic periods, let alone the modern masters! Baroque music was an outgrowth of the late Renaissance period, and as music developed, it became more complex, but there was always a purpose. The music was either written for church services, dance, or entertainment pieces, or for the court royalty, or other secular needs. The great Baroque masters, Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, all realized it was best to master all 3 areas, so they would be well received. Baroque music is the connection from the earlier time to the Classical era, and one of the most prolific and important in all of music history.
For this performance, we will have a Baroque-sized orchestra (usually 10-20 players) as orchestras and the music was on a smaller scale than. We will have fourteen players total, but it will provide a full and resonant sound in the splendid acoustics of the church. The players will mostly be standing, so they will be easily visible to the audience. The harpsichord will be in the middle, so it will be seen and heard as well, as the keyboard p[part fills in the harmonies and provides the unique texture and sparkle for this lively music that is equally balanced with all instruments on their respective parts. The keyboard player (known as the Continuo) provides the continuity and musical glue to pull everything together harmonically. In Bach's time, the keyboard player served as the conductor, as it was a smaller group, but Maestro Peltz will be artfully leading our ensemble for the best effect.
The same group of instrumentalists will also play the beautifully moving Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, as a memorial to Hugh, as he heard one of the first performances of the work by the composer, who summered on Lake George near Hugh's boyhood home. I will share that story at the concert! Hugh also studied at Yale with the legendary composer Paul Hindemith, and so Maestro Peltz has chosen a work of several short movements by Hindemith to provide another tie-in with Hugh's pedigree.
GFS: Tell us about the program, and what we can look forward to most about your performance.
BK: In planning this program, we wanted to feature the orchestra and both pipe organs individually and together, as they are used that way all the time, and the harpsichord. The Gallery Casavant organ is suited for Baroque organ music, so I will play the Toccata in F Major by Buxtehude, a north German Baroque composer who greatly influenced Bach. It is a short but showy piece, and features echoes between the chancel and gallery instruments, like a musical tennis match! I will also play a meditative and lyrical chorale prelude by Bach, When I am in the Hour of Utmost Need, one of Bach's final compositions, to show the more expressive, reflective, and softer sounds of the gallery instrument.
The orchestra will open with a lively Concerto by Handel, and interspersed is the famous Brandenburg Concerto 3 by Bach. They will also play the Hindemith and Barber pieces mentioned above, to round out the collection of works to honor Hugh and his 'lineage'.
I will play a harpsichord solo piece, the very famous "Les Barricades Mysterieuses" by French Baroque composer Francois Couperin, to display the several tonal qualities of this instrument. Lastly, to provide a full and grand close, I will play the Finale to the Symphony 1 in D Minor by Parisian organist Alexandre Guilmant. This work will display the full tonal resources of both organs and offer many of the beautiful sound ensembles from all corners of the room (something not often experienced anywhere else), with a fiery and fabulous finish that will shake the floor and raise the rafters! The console will be out on its platform so the audience can view the organist. It should be a VERY majestic and thrilling close to this auspicious program to honor the person whose vision enabled these organs to be here and to stay and be used for future generations.
GFS: Can you share with us the connection between GFS and First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls, given our shared history?
BK: I learned about the GFS when I came here in 2005, as Charles Peltz and I were classmates at New England Conservatory, and I had observed him as a student conductor many times, as I often attended orchestral concerts at school. Hugh was very proud that such a fine musician had taken over "his baby," as he called it, and told me how important the church and Symphony were viewed in the community, along with the Hyde family and museum connection.
I learned more and delved into the deep histories of all three entities, and vowed to maintain and enhance the connection by presenting concerts here involving the Symphony, inviting symphony players to play in worship services, offering chamber music concerts, the Children's Chorus, masterclasses, and solo recital opportunities with some of our players. I also served as the Board President from 2008-2010, and that was an enriching experience at an important time in the Symphony's history.
Aside from all that, the church Sanctuary is the area's finest concert hall with its Gothic beauty, instruments, and resonant acoustics, offering amazing sound for anyone anywhere in the space, including the players, something not often experienced by many orchestras. People enjoy coming here, and we work hard to provide a welcoming and special environment for memorable music for any occasion. We are proud that many community members visit us frequently for events and services. I am grateful to Maestro Peltz and the Board for their combined efforts to make sure this connection continues and is firmly cemented in the stacked stones of this magnificent edifice, which is truly a community resource in every way, whether music and/or ministry. I certainly hope the church's 800 seats will all be full on November 23 to honor Hugh as we celebrate his importance and present great music of a wide range on many instruments here, again, something not experienced in many places in this country. It is truly Special and Amazing!
GFS: What’s next for FPCGF Concerts? And how can we connect to find out more?
-Annual Beeman Organ Concert, feat. duo organists Ken Cowen & Bradley Hunter Welch, Friday, November 14, 2025, 7:20 p.m. $15 Donation Suggested at the door.
-QHS Madrigals, Monday, December 8, 2025, 7 p.m.
To learn more about First Presbyterian Church Concerts, visit their Website: https://www.fpcgf.org/concerts
Or head over to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FPCGFConcerts/
To purchase tickets for “Brilliant Baroque,” The Glens Falls Symphony, featuring. K. Bryan Kirk Click Here
Brilliant Baroque is sponsored by:
Noel Granger & Peter Aust
Amy Bartlett & Bob Regan
Sandra Hutchinson & Mark Frost
Gary Loughrey
Gerald Potter & Carolyn Kellogg
Robert Sears & Heather Fair-Sears