Concordia freshman Laura Hedstrom wins organ competition in Lincoln

2015 Mar 23

Freshman Laura Hedstrom from Concordia University, Nebraska won the Lincoln chapter competition of The Regional Competition for Young Organists on March 14.

Hedstrom will compete at the North Central regional competition in June 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. The winner of that competition will perform in June 2016 in Houston, Texas. Both of these rounds of competition are held during conventions of the American Guild of Organists.

"Winning the chapter competition has encouraged me in my studies, and I'm looking forward to the challenge of the St. Louis competition," Hedstrom said. "I am so grateful for the talents God has entrusted to me and the terrific instruction I've received in my studies."

Hedstrom performed four organ pieces as part of the competition: "Prelude and Fugue in D Major" by J.S. Bach, "Cantabile" by Cesar Franck, "Variations on an Old American Tune" by Zachary Wadsworth and a creative introduction and setting of the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah."

The biennial organ competition is organized by the American Guild of Organists and allows college-aged organists to compete against their peers from across the nation.

Hedstrom is a freshman from Oxford, Neb. She started playing organ when she was 13 and is studying church music at Concordia under the instruction of Dr. Jeffrey Blersch.