Brad developed a love of both piano and organ from an early age growing up in Stafford, Virginia. He recalled his Grandma Huffman taking him at age 5 and sitting with Mr. Harold Abmyer (“Mr. A”) at the Methodist Church organ in Fredericksburg. The organ enveloped him! (Abmyer would be the minister of music for 38 years there). He would later take organ lessons from Abymer from grade 8 through high school but not before being taught by his Cousin Kaye Mitchell Kingsberry for 4 years on piano (Kingsberry is still a music educator) and then Wayne Gill, another student of Abymer for 3 years. Wayne lived close by in Stafford for lessons.
Brad picks up the story. "Wayne Gill lived close to my father’s mother, Laura Bell Acree Lowman Volland, better known to all as "Nanny." Nanny was born and raised in Caroline County on a small farm near Bowling Green. Nanny lived on Forbes Street in Falmouth and Wayne Gill lived just up the street from her. Grandma Huffman (the German side of my family/my Mom’s family) lived at Meadowbrook Dairy, a 150 acre dairy farm, just across the river from downtown Fredericksburg. (Present day, there is a road at the west end of the Chatham Bridge called "Naomi Road" that road is named after Mrs. Naomi Waller Brooks, the owner of Meadowbrook Dairy and someone very close to my family; we all called her "Mother #2.") In any event, I walked from Nanny’s house to Wayne’s house for piano lessons."
It wasn’t as easy getting to the next stage – organ lessons with Mr. “A”. He walked from Grandma Huffman’s cottage across the Chatham Bridge to organ and piano lessons with Mr. A which was at least a 2 mile trek. He recalls his first hymn he played at the church at age 12. To calm his fears Abmyer said to imagine everyone in the church “naked” instead of fully clothed.
Abmyer’s other students, Wayne Gill, Ray Chenault and Jim Hicks became friends. Brad recalls being in the second tier of students who had to move off the organ if these other students appeared. It was an exceptional period at the Methodist Church for quality organ students. He graduated from highschool in 1974 and then VCU in 1978 where he received a degree in Applied Organ Music.
The best teachers for Brad were the ones who took the time with you, challenged you and expected you to work hard in return. They cared about what you learned and didn’t just do the job. He remembers Abmyer’s evaluation of a lesson – one or two gold stars for a good lesson and lunch with Mr. A. if exceptional. He recalls times when he didn’t practice, and Abmyer sternly telling him “not to waste his time. “
Brad later served as organist for 8 years at the Methodist Church in Fredericksburg after Wayne Gill and then 13 years as a supply organist at St. George’s. He lived in Washington DC for a time, worked as a chef and even played lounge music on the side at L’Enfant Plaza for 5 years. Apparently the clientele loved “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head.” Brad says he still can play that one and others today. A new choir anthem perhaps?
Brad remembers Port Royal from an early age accompanying his father and grandfather who drove a Sealtest truck delivering ice cream. He remembers the ladies at Horne’s making him banana splits. He never imagined he would be coming down to Port Royal weekly.
Brad’s favorite composer is Bach which comes natural as an organist. (Bach’s musical output was prodigious with 1100 known compositions.) His favorite pieces to play on the Stevens’ organ are the Bach/Vivaldi concerto #21 which he likes to perform at Christmas and Bach’s 8 short preludes and fugues.
There is an amount of prep work that he has to do for his organ preludes and postludes on Sunday. While he admires the Stevens’ organ with its “sweet sound”, there are many pieces that he has to “rekey” (adjust ahead of time) and “repedal”. Some pieces he just can’t play because there are only 13 pedals compared to 32 with many organs and 50 keys rather than 63 keys. Despite these limitations, the Stevens organ has a special place in Brad’s heart with a sound that larger organs cannot duplicate.
So how does Brad plan his prelude, postlude and offertory ? He is best at telling this part of the story. It may surprise you.
"There are many different reference books for use by clergy and musicians in the Episcopal Church. The most common book used is "The Episcopal Church Musician’s Handbook," which is a guide based on the Lectionary Year: A, B, or C. The books that Catherine and I use to select hymnody are also based on the Lectionary Year: A, B, or C and are called "Liturgical Music for the Revised Common Lectionary" by Carl P. Daw, Jr. and Thomas Pavlechko. All of the aforementioned reference books also offer guidance (suggestions) for choral anthems, service music, fraction anthems, etc. After you spend so many years in church music, it all rather becomes second-nature. In selecting preludes and postludes, I always try to tie the music into "the theme of the day." Some churches are very rigid about all of this.
"Most church musicians do not "allow" clergy to interfere with the selection of music. I am NOT like those folks; I try to be easier to work with. The fun at St. Peter’s is Catherine and I tend to mix things up while trying to adhere to what is suggested for any particular worship service, again tending to adhere to "the theme of the day" and/or the sermon.
"There is a lot more work involved in this process than most laity and the common parishioner realize — I guess if it were easy to do a lot more people would be trying to obtain church musician positions. I spend an average of 15-25 hours per week working on music for our music ministry at St. Peter’s (that includes my practice time). Those who tend to complain that the church musician(s) are paid an awful lot of money for an hour or two per week really have no clue whatsoever. They firmly believe we show up on Sunday morning, play the organ or piano and go home and that is all we do!"
Most of all which was clear in this interview is that Brad loves St. Peter’s. (He says he having a "blast"). He calls the people, particularly the choir, his “extended family.” That has come through their dedication and commitment to singing. Most of all he can depend on them in contrast to friends in other churches who can’t always depend on their choirs. He admires their talent even though most have not had formal training.
Brad says he looks forward coming to St. Peter’s each week which has been the best therapy for him after his accident. He recalls people providing cards and other assistance after his accident even though at the time they didn’t really know him well.
Brad added special praises for Paige Martindale. Over the course of 10 years they have become best friends. They see each other at least twice a week to play piano/organ music for hours on end. Brad praises him as the most well rounded musician he knows.
We can thank Brad for getting Paige involved, particularly with his ability to sing parts and his lovely tenor voice. It is clear one of the secrets of Brad’s success is his ability to encourage and build teamwork as a church musician.