Walt Strony
Encyclopedia
Walt Strony is an American organist. He began his professional career in 1974. While primarily known for his work playing the theatre organ, he performs numerous classical concerts as well.
He has performed in the United States, toured extensively in Australia, England, Japan, and Canada, and he is a regular performer at conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society, having performed for them more than any other organist. He has also performed for the American Guild of Organists on both local and national levels.
His first performance at Radio City Music Hall
in July 2007 was the first solo recital on the Mighty Wurlitzer there in many years. He returned the following year to play a cameo performance in what was the second organ-only concert to be presented in recent years.
In 1991 and 1993 - the American Theatre Organ Society selected him as "Organist of the Year." He is the only living organist to have received this award twice. In addition to solo concerts, he has performed with several symphony orchestras - in Calgary, Allentown, and El Paso. The repertoire for these ranged from standard theatre organ fare to silent movie music to the Symphony #3 (Organ) of Camille Saint-Saens.
He has made numerous recordings and can be heard on over 30 albums. His first CD was given the highest rating by CD Review - a 10/10.
His book "The Secrets of Theatre Organ Registration" was the first book to be written about this subject and has sold many copies. He is currently working on its second edition.
In addition to musical performance, his services as an organ consultant are in great demand. He began working with pipe organs only, but as the need to tonally finish the newer digitally sampled organs grew - he expanded his work to include them. As a result, he has developed a reputation for this work - most notably for instruments built by the Allen Organ Company.
In celebration of his career, the Allen Organ Company developed the Walt Strony Signature Model - the STR-4 - which is a four-manual instrument. Walt Strony designed the stoplist and chose all the samples from their extensive library based upon his experience as an organist and tonal consultant.
During his college years he began playing the theatre organ in pizza parlors - a fad which began in the 1970s giving these amazing instruments a second life and introducing millions of people to an art form that had almost been forgotten.
He has performed on numerous classical instruments as well, most notably having been featured in June 2009 at Macy's Philadelphia playing the largest operating pipe organ in the world.
He currently lives in Las Vegas, NV. He is Artist-in-Residence at First Christian Church when there. Otherwise he spends his time playing concerts on new and existing organs and consults on their tonal design.
He has performed in the United States, toured extensively in Australia, England, Japan, and Canada, and he is a regular performer at conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society, having performed for them more than any other organist. He has also performed for the American Guild of Organists on both local and national levels.
His first performance at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in July 2007 was the first solo recital on the Mighty Wurlitzer there in many years. He returned the following year to play a cameo performance in what was the second organ-only concert to be presented in recent years.
In 1991 and 1993 - the American Theatre Organ Society selected him as "Organist of the Year." He is the only living organist to have received this award twice. In addition to solo concerts, he has performed with several symphony orchestras - in Calgary, Allentown, and El Paso. The repertoire for these ranged from standard theatre organ fare to silent movie music to the Symphony #3 (Organ) of Camille Saint-Saens.
He has made numerous recordings and can be heard on over 30 albums. His first CD was given the highest rating by CD Review - a 10/10.
His book "The Secrets of Theatre Organ Registration" was the first book to be written about this subject and has sold many copies. He is currently working on its second edition.
In addition to musical performance, his services as an organ consultant are in great demand. He began working with pipe organs only, but as the need to tonally finish the newer digitally sampled organs grew - he expanded his work to include them. As a result, he has developed a reputation for this work - most notably for instruments built by the Allen Organ Company.
In celebration of his career, the Allen Organ Company developed the Walt Strony Signature Model - the STR-4 - which is a four-manual instrument. Walt Strony designed the stoplist and chose all the samples from their extensive library based upon his experience as an organist and tonal consultant.
During his college years he began playing the theatre organ in pizza parlors - a fad which began in the 1970s giving these amazing instruments a second life and introducing millions of people to an art form that had almost been forgotten.
He has performed on numerous classical instruments as well, most notably having been featured in June 2009 at Macy's Philadelphia playing the largest operating pipe organ in the world.
He currently lives in Las Vegas, NV. He is Artist-in-Residence at First Christian Church when there. Otherwise he spends his time playing concerts on new and existing organs and consults on their tonal design.