The Organists of Roswell Presbyterian Church

I heard many Atlanta area organists while growing up at Roswell Presbyterian Church. Many were organist at RPC when they were young and just starting out.

Herbert Buffington, now organist at Peachtree Christian Church (Atlanta), was organist at RPC while he was in high school and before attending Duke University and Peabody Conservatory (Johns Hopkins).

David Fishburn, the long-time associate organist/choirmaster at the Cathedral of St. Philip (Atlanta), was previously at RPC, following Herb Buffington.

Walter Huff served at RPC just after completing his degrees at Oberlin Conservatory and Peabody Conservatory. After RPC Walter had a long tenure as organist-choirmaster at Morningside Presbyterian Church (Atlanta) and chorus master of the Atlanta Opera. He is now on the choral faculty at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music.

Current Sanctuary of Roswell Presbyterian Church, viewed from the church's historic cemetery

There were several other memorable organists at RPC while I was growing up (often they didn't stay very long). The names I remember include Ronald Rice, Patricia Manderson, Margaret Pavlovsky, Carolyn Chestnut and Brenda Brown. 

Each of these men and women had an influence on me...

• The ones I heard as a young child from the pew 
• The one who accompanied us in children's choir
• The ones who asked me to turn pages (supreme honor)
• The ones who accompanied me as I played the oboe or saxophone for church
• The one who got me through competitive college scholarship auditions (accompanying and coaching)
• The ones who took a risk and asked me to play the organ for church services

....I learned a lot. 

Several of the names and places in today's blog come up again years later!