THOMAS WEISFLOG: Organ

Tom is Director of Music and Organist at St.  Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel Organist at the University of Chicago, and Accompanist at Temple K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Congregation. Since 1983, he has been the official accompanist and organist for the internationally-acclaimed William Ferris Chorale.  In Chicago Tom can be seen weekly on television channel 11, WTTW, as accompanist for the Chicago Sunday Evening Club - 30 Good Minutes, a program airing daily throughout the nation on the ODYSSEY channel.

Tom studied with Gavin Williamson and Edward Mondello in Chicago, and with Norman Peterson at the Eastman School of Music.  He has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on many occasions, most notably in Mahler's Eighth Symphony conducted by Christoph Eschenbach (1996), and as soloist in Janácek's Glagolithic Mass under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas (1987).  In the European arena, Tom made his debut at the 1986 Aldeburgh Festival and concertized in Berlin at the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde (1992).  In addition, he performed a Haydn organ concerto with Italy's Orchestra Sinfonica Haydn di Bolzano e Trento under the direction of Barry Faldner (1994).

Excitable and never bashful about voicing his opinions, Tom is an object of fear and frolic especially among members of church committees.  When his viewpoint on various musical and liturgical issues is challenged, he often exclaims, "Well, they'll just have to get over it!" Johann Sebastian 'Bark' Weisflog, Tom's gimpy but faithful (and spiritually perceptive) Bearded Collie of sixteen years, sadly departed this world not long ago. J.S. Bark's ashen remains have since been judiciously divided and deposited in two decorative urns.  Eileen, Tom's friend and Sebastian's loving human "Tante," fondly possesses one urn; Tom, in touching tribute, has interred the other between the cast-iron frame and soundboard of his Steinway piano.  May this latter remnant of Tom's canine companion perpetually resound with the Harmony of the Spheres.