Organist Gail Archer to Play 2025 Ukrainian Relief Tour

Hailed as one of this era’s most adventurous interpreters of the classical organ repertoire, leading female organist Gail Archer tours a Concert for Ukrainian Relief February-May 2025. 

Known for enthralling listeners with her musicality, sensitivity, and visceral quality, Archer introduces audiences to rarely performed works by 19th-21st century Ukrainian composers. This concert marks Archer’s latest offering in her decade-long commitment to sharing Eastern European organ literature.

Under the circumstances of the military conflict in Ukraine, this tour presents an opportunity for audiences to appreciate the monumental contributions to classical music, and more specifically organ music, that have emerged over the centuries from Ukraine. “In my own view, the organ music contributions from Ukraine have been enormous, and human culture and civilization would be far poorer without them,” says Archer. “I hope this will be kept in mind particularly in this period of conflict and crisis.”

Dedicated to drawing attention to Eastern European composers through ongoing research, performances, and recordings, Archer has performed each year in Eastern Europe since 2011 resulting in her election as a faculty member at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute. From Russian halls in Tomsk, Perm, and Kislovodsk, to Ukrainian churches in Kyiv and Odessa, “the audiences at every concert were full to overflowing and the devotion and respect for classical music in both Russia and Ukraine is utterly remarkable.” 

As told recently to The American Organist Magazine: “My experiences in Ukraine as a concert organist confirm that the Ukrainians are a proud and cultivated people who will courageously defend their country. The intellectual rigor and audacious creativity of the Ukrainian people are the very foundation of the strength and courage that the world is witnessing every day. They take great pride in their music, their architecture, and their culture. It should come as no surprise then that the Ukrainian people are fighting so hard right now and are willing to stand their ground against one of the largest military forces in the world, to protect the place they know and love.”

About Gail Archer:

Gail Archer is an international concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer who draws attention to composer anniversaries or musical themes with her annual recital series including Max Reger, The Muse’s Voice, An American Idyll, Liszt, Bach, Mendelssohn and Messiaen.  Ms. Archer was the first American woman to play the complete works of Olivier Messiaen for the centennial of the composer’s birth in 2008; Time Out New York recognized the Messiaen cycle as “Best of 2008” of classical music and opera.  Her recordings include her September, 2017 CD A Russian Journey,  The Muse’s Voice, Franz Liszt:  A Hungarian Rhapsody,Bach: The Transcendent Genius, An American Idyll, A Mystic In the Making (Meyer Media), and The Orpheus of Amsterdam: Sweelinck and his Pupils (CALA Records). Ms. Archer’s 2018 European tour took her to France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Slovak Republic, the Ukraine and Poland. She is the founder of Musforum, www.musforum.org an international network for women organists to promote and affirm their work.  Ms. Archer is college organist at Vassar College, and director of the music program at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she conducts the Barnard-Columbia Chorus, and is a member of the faculty of the Harriman Institute, Columbia University. She serves as director of the artist and young organ artist recitals at historic Central Synagogue, New York City.

Winter-Spring 2025 Tour

Concerts for Ukrainian Relief:
February 1 Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. 7pm
February 16. St. Michael Episcopal Church, Orlando, FL. 7pm
February 23.  St John Presbyterian Church, New Albany, Indiana 4pm
March 1. Our Lady of Grace, West Babylon, NY 6pm
March 8 First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA. 7:30pm
March 29. Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport, CT 4pm
April 4. International Organ Festival, Brindisi, Italy 9pm
April 5. Cathedral of St. Mary, Messina, Sicily 9pm
April 6   International Organ Festival, Milan, Italy. 9pm
May 4. The US Military Academy at West Point, Garrison, NY 2pm

Other Concerts:

February 17. St. James Episcopal Church, NYC. 4pm A Polish program
April 8 St. Paul’s Chapel, Columbia University 6pm A Bulgarian program with Yasna Voices