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G. Howard Scott

George Howard Scott A.A.G.O. (1894-1958) was a nationally recognized Concert Organist, Composer, Music & Choir Director known for being the first municipal organist contracted to play at the Convention Hall on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey. George was born in Tonawanda, NY and grew up in Perry, NY, a farming community in Western NY. He first started piano lessons at the age of 7 and first performed in Buffalo, NY at the age of 8. He fulfilled his first church organist position at the Episcopal Church in Perry, NY at age 13. He was a student and vocal coach in the Teachers College in Cedar Falls Iowa and organist at The First Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, Iowa. At the age of 15, he left to study piano, organ and voice in New York City where he was a piano student at the New York Institute of Musical Art which eventually merged with The Julliard School in 1926. In piano technique, he was an exponent of the Leschetitzky School, and was a pupil of Madam Tapper of New York City. He also studied choir direction with Bruno Hahn and T. Tertius Noble and voice culture with Luigi Carlotti of the Jean De Rezeke School and with Louis Simeone of the Marchesi School.

He studied at the Guilmant Organ School, graduating in 1915 becoming a Professor of Music. At Guilmant, he studied under the direction of Dr. William C Carl.

Upon graduation, he became the organist and choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church in Newburgh, NY where he also organized and directed the Newburgh Oratorical Society. Other organ positions included Christ Church in Brooklyn, NY and he was the resident organist at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

In 1931, he accepted the position of Municipal Organist at the newly built Convention Hall in the seaside resort city of Asbury Park, N.J. One of the highlights of this lovely resort was his daily recitals on the three manual Kilgen theater organ. He enhanced his concerts with synchronized lighting in this large hall overlooking the ocean. He performed over 5,000 concerts from this hall each opened and ended with his theme “To The Sea” by Macdowell. WCAP would broadcast his concerts in the evening from their studios at the Convention Hall.

As well as performing at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, he performed at the Mayfair Theater in the days of silent films. He also created the Asbury Park Civic Oratorio Society during this period which presented many concerts in area communities. In 1935, he also served as Minister of Music at the First Methodist Church of Asbury Park performing as organist and choir director. This large church was equipped with a four manual Austin organ with excellent facilities for serious musical functions. Over the years, this created a rich musical tradition, numerous oratorios and cantatas were presented often with guest soloists from the New York Metropolitan Opera. He was highly respected as one of the finest theater organists of the day and collaborated with many of the contemporary composers and musicians including Arthur Pryor, Giuiseppi Creatore, Joan Field, Lo Rean Hodapp & Willard Nevins. One of his featured presentations was a composition of his called The Storm. This original and spectacular arrangement which was a story built around the landing of the Pilgrims, in which the Pilgrim Fathers encountered a terrific storm at sea. The entire story was told with an original musical setting with sensational lighting and stage effects. Mr. Scott was the first organist in the country to use synchronized lighting effects in connection with his recitals, on the theory that different keys and moods in music suggest certain colors. During the war years, Mr. Scott found gratification in his work in veteran’s hospitals throughout the state. With groups of his vocal pupils, he presented programs in theaters and wards at the hospitals at Fort Monmouth and Fort Dix and at the England General Hospital in Atlantic City. References: Musical America, June 15, 1915. New York World, July 19, 1919. Motion Picture Herald, December 19, 1931, April 30, 1932, page 67. The Diapason, December 1, 1915. Asbury Park Press, August 23, 1936, December 4, 1945, February 24, 1946, April 26, 1946 & October 3, 1956. Variety, September 1927. Newburgh Journal, April 4, 1915. Perry Herald, April 29, 1931. Wikipedia "Asbury Park Convention Hall".