As part of the Festival of the Arts, Joel Gray will be hosting a Theater Organ Concert on Thursday, February 23rd at 7:00pm in the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Joel Gray became interested in music at an early age. Starting with the piano, he moved to the organ at the age of nine. Joel attended Aquinas College in Grand Rapids and Red Wing Technical College in Minnesota. He has established himself as a church and theatre organist, as well as a teacher of both styles of organ playing. Growing up in Grand Rapids, he became acquainted with the theater organ at “The Roaring Twenties” later renamed “Good Time Charley’s” Restaurant. In 1989 he joined the staff as organist until the business closed in 1991. His affair with this well-known Wurlitzer organ continues as he worked with the G.M. Buck Pipe Organ Company in restoring and installing this instrument in the new Grand Rapids Public Museum. He is currently Director of Music and Organist at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Grand Rapids and is a staff organist at the Grand Ledge Opera House. He has performed for several chapters of the American Guild of Organists as well as the American Theater Organ Society.

Joel will be performing on the Paul Stern Theater Organ at Immanuel Lutheran Church, accompanying a variety of silent film comedy shorts, as well as presenting an array of traditional theater organ music. For more information, please visit the Festival of the Arts webpage.