TUSCALOOSA – Two top concerts featuring organ, chorus and instrumental performances – including a top French organist and the world premiere of a new organ work – headline the fifth annual Church Music Conference on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26 at Moody Music Building at The University of Alabama.

The conference is part of the School of Music, an arm of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, and is sponsored in part by Canterbury Chapel and the UA Office of the President.

Daniel Roth, organist at St. Sulpice in Paris, France, since 1985, will perform at the 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 concert. One of France’s leading organists, Roth is known for his brilliant improvisations, which he regularly includes in his programs. Roth won the Grand Prix de Chartes in 1971, and some of his performances are available for viewing on YouTube and at http://stsulpice.blip.tv.

The 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 performance will feature Dr. Faythe Freese, associate professor of organ at UA and conference coordinator, in a world-premiere performance of “To Call My True Love to My Dance” by Naji Hakim, who is the titular organist at St. Trinité Church in Paris and composer in residence at the Trinity College of Music, London. That concert also will feature three works by composer Olivier Messiaen: “O sacrum convivium,” performed by the UA’s University Singers; “Quartet for the End of Time,” performed by Noel Engebretson (piano), Peter Rovit (violin), Osiris Molina (clarinet) and Carlton McCreery (cello); and “Interstellar Call,” performed by Charles Snead (horn).

The concerts are free to conference participants and students with identification. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for seniors.

The organ conference itself runs from 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 through Roth’s concert at 4:30 p.m. Conference events include organ and improvisation master classes with Roth and workshops in hymn playing, handbells, children’s choirs, choral conducting, sacred vocal literature, worship planning and French Psalters. A full conference schedule can be found at http://www.music.ua.edu/departments/organ/events/index.html. The cost of the conference is $80 if registered by Friday, Jan. 18. Registration at the door is $90.

For more information, phone Freese at 205/348-3329 or send e-mail to faythefreese@earthlink.net.

The School of Music is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Teams.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA’s vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.