San Diego Civic Organist Releases New Album

IF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT BULLIS PARK MEET MAGNIFICENT OUTDOOR ORGAN BEEN PLAYED BY CAROL WILLIAMS YOU KNOW WHAT A WONDERFUL SOUND TO MAKE CAROL WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED AS SAN DIEGO CIVIC ORGANIST WHEN SHE GOT THE JOB 14 YEARS AGO AND SHE HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF CHALLENGING TRADITION AND STEREOTYPES EVER SINCE. HER NEW CD CALLED "JUST CAROL" CONTINUES IN THAT GENRE. IT IS AN UNEXPECTED MIX OF MUSIC AND IT IS THE FIRST CD WHERE SHE IS PLAYING ALL HER OWN COMPOSITIONS. CAROL, THANK YOU FOR COMING UP. THANK YOU. YOU ARE A CITY WORKER. YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY THE CITY. THAT IS KIND OF AN UNUSUAL JOB. TELL US WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WELL, I PLAY CONCERTS IN THE PARK EVERY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND I AM BASICALLY PREPARING FOR THAT. IF I'M NOT PLAYING A CONCERT HERE I AM PLAYING A CONCERT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I JUST DO MUSIC ALL OF THE TIME. THAT IS MY LIFE. I'M PLAYING ONE OF THE FINEST ORGANS IN THE WORLD. IT LIVES HERE IN SAN DIEGO. WHEN YOU PLAY THE ORGAN AND BALBOA PARK ARE YOU ALLOWED TO PLAY YOUR OWN COMPOSITIONS? YES. AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN WRITING MUSIC THAT HAS MELODIES AND RHYTHMS, THE PARK IS A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN WHAT MUSIC GOES DOWN VERY WELL. BECAUSE THE CONCERTS ARE FREE IF YOU PLAY SOMETHING WAY OUT THERE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE NO WHINING I HAVE LEARNED PRETTY QUICKLY THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAY WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR. I COMPLETE WHATEVER LIKE. SO THIS NEW CD WHICH IS ALL OF YOUR OWN COMPOSITIONS, DID YOU HAVE A CREATIVE SPURT THAT RESULTED IN THIS OR WAS THIS A RESULT OF YEARS OF COMPOSING? IT HAS BEEN A RESULT OF YEARS. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THERE HAS BEEN MORE CREATIVITY AND IT SUDDENLY, MY HUSBAND WHO ALSO MANAGES MAY, HE SAID YOU HAVE TO GET THIS DOWN. YOU HAVE TO GET THIS WRITTEN DOWN AND YOU HAVE TO GET THIS ON CD. THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN REALLY FOCUSING ON GETTING THE MUSIC RECORDED AND PRINTED. FROM ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE PART -- IN THE PARK YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR. S. LET'S LISTEN TO AN ORGAN CUT. THE FIRST ONE IS SWEET FORT MORGAN OPUS NUMBER FIVE. [ MUSIC ] THAT IS FROM CAROL WILLIAMS NEW CD AND IT TURNS OUT THAT WAS ACTUALLY ANOTHER TRACK CALLED ANDROMEDA. I WROTE THAT ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT SO I ASKED THE AUDIENCE TO GIVE US SUGGESTIONS. A LITTLE GIRL CAME UP AND SAID ANDROMEDA. VERY CERTAINLY. THAT WAS THE TITLE. IT IS AN AMAZING FOUND. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE JUST ONE INSTRUMENT. THAT IS NOT THE PARK ORGAN. THAT IS THE ROGERS INFINITY ORGAN WHICH I AM WORKING WITH IN MY HOME AT THE MOMENT. IT IS A FULL MANUAL CLASSICAL PIPE WAS ORGAN. IT HAS A WHOLE LOAD OF ORCHESTRAL SOUNDS. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE INSTRUMENT TO WORK WITH. I SEE. SO ORGANS ARE NOT AT ALL THE SAME. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND THAT ONE HAD A LITTLE MORE VARIETY THAN THE BALBOA PARK ONE? YES. WHAT MAKES THE BALBOA PARK ORGAN SO SPECIAL? BECAUSE IT IS A VERY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. IT IS AN ORGAN THAT YOU CAN -- IT HAS INSPIRED ME TO WRITE A LOT OF MUSIC. IT WILL BE THE LARGEST OUTDOOR ORGAN IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE RECLAIMED OUR TITLE. THERE IS AN ORGAN IN AUSTRIA WHICH I PLAYED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE SAME ERA AS OUR ORGAN AND ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO THE ADDED TO THE INSTRUMENT AND THEY TOOK THE TITLE OF THE LARGEST OUTDOOR ORGAN IN THE WORLD. SO THE ORGAN SOCIETY IN WHICH I AM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR HAVE BEEN FUNDRAISING AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL RECLAIM THE TITLE. THE ORGAN HAS LITERALLY BEEN ADDED TO, MORE PIPES AND AS AN INSTRUMENT IT IS BEAUTIFUL. IT CAN PLAY ALL TYPES OF MUSIC. A CONFLICT HASKELL, BOK, JAZZ MUSIC, ORCHESTRAL TRANSCRIPTIONS. IT IS A VERY VERSATILE ORGAN. YOU HAVE PLAYED ORGANS ALL OF THE WORLD. YOU HAVE A PAPER? BALBOA PARK. WHENEVER I COME BACK TO IT I ALWAYS GO THIS IS A GOOD ORGAN. BUT TRAVELING AROUND I PLAYED PLACES LIKE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS AND WE HAVE A TOUR BUS VIDEO SERIES WHERE WE HAVE FILMED THE UNIQUE ORGANS OF THE WORLD INCLUDING PLACES LIKE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL. I GOT TO REALLY KNOW THESE INSTRUMENTS. EVERY ORGAN IS DIFFERENT. SOME ARE GREAT AND SOME ARE NOT SO GREAT. THEY ALL HAVE SOME UNIQUE IS ABOUT THEM. WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE ORGAN AND BALBOA PARK IS OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD BE LISTENING WITH A MORE DISCRIMINATING EAR? WHAT SHOULD WE BE LISTENING FOR? IT HAS A TREMENDOUS CLARITY. IT HAS BEAUTIFUL RICH STRING SOUNDS IT HAS, IF YOU SIT FIVE ROWS BACK FROM THE ORGAN YOU'LL GET A GREAT SORT OF SYMPHONIC SOUND FROM THE INSTRUMENT. IF YOU SAID AT THE SIDES WHICH UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE DO ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS BECAUSE UNDERSTANDABLY IT IS A BIT HOT, BUT IF YOU DON'T TO THE ORGAN SO WELL HAVE TO SIT AND BE ABLE TO SEE THE ORGAN. IF YOU SEE THE ORGAN PIPES YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR IT WELL. SO YOU PLAY ALL KINDS OF MUSIC ON THAT ORGAN. AS YOU SAID SOMETIMES YOU EVEN LOSE YOUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH IT. I HAVEN'T DONE THAT LATELY. [ LAUGH ] GOOD. YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT WHAT PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC HAS INSPIRED THIS NEW CD OF YOURS? WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU TRYING TO BRING INTO YOUR REPERTOIRE? IT IS HARD. IT IS LIKE I HAVE BEEN DIGESTING ALL OF MY LIFE. I CAN READ MUSIC BEFORE I COULD MEET. I WAS PLAYING PIANO AT THE AGE OF FOUR AND HALF. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM. I CAN MELODIES THAT POP INTO MY HEAD. I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO MICHAEL JACKSON. I THINK HE WROTE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. SINCE YOU ARE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR CUT SHOULD WE LISTEN TO THAT ONE OUT? THAT WOULD BE NICE. IT IS ONE YOU COMPOSED FOR MICHAEL. [ MUSIC ] THAT IS A CUT CALLED FOR MICHAEL DEDICATED TO MICHAEL JACKSON. FROM A NEW CD OUT BY SAN DIEGO'S CIVIC ORGANIST, CAROL WILLIAMS. AND SO CAROL, TELL US, HOW DOES THAT, TO ME THAT DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY EVOKE MICHAEL JACKSON BUT WHAT IS THAT DEDICATED TO MICHAEL? WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIS MUSIC? THE WORDS FROM HIS SONGS IS WHERE IT CAME FROM IN MY MIND. IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHERE MELODIES COME FROM BUT IT JUST SEEMED TO ME THAT WAS WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. I ALWAYS FELT, SO DID A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT HE DIED TOO SOON. HE HAD SO MUCH MORE MUSIC TO GIVE US. I WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO HIM. THERE IS A REAL SWEETNESS TO THAT MUSIC. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. SO YOU PLAY THE PIANO AS WELL AS THE ORGAN. WHEN IS IT THAT YOU DECIDE IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO PLAY -- COMPOSED FOR THE PIANO AS OPPOSED TO THE ORGAN? MY CAN OF MUSIC IS VERY SIMPLE, TO ME MELODY, SOME HARMONY. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE MUSIC OF ERIC SETTING WHICH IS JUST SO CLEAR. I SIT AND PLAY THE PIANO. I JUST SIT AND ENJOY IMPROVISING AN EXPERIMENT WHEN THIS EXPERIMENT IN WITH SOUND. AS I HAVE GROWN UP ALL OF MY LIFE I HAVE STUDIED ALL OF THE BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, DEBUSSY BUT SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH A DISTINCT, CLEAN, CLEAR MELODY AND THAT IS WHAT I GET FROM WHEN I PLAY THE PIANO. WHEREAS THE ORGAN IS MORE -- IT HAS A RESONANCE ON THE ECHOES AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE A FULL-BODIED EXPERIENCE TO BE PLAYING IT, ISN'T IT? IT IS. I HAVE SEEN YOU PLAYING THERE. DESCRIBE WHAT IT IS LIKE. WE RECORDED MOST OF IT AT THE CATHEDRAL DOWNTOWN. THAT IS AN AMAZING ORGAN. IT HAS A MUCH POWER. IT HAS THE COMPLETE GOLF OF MUSIC FROM THE QUIET STRENGTH TO THE FULLNESS OF THE SOUNDS WITH THE BIG LEAGUES. THE ACOUSTICS IN THE BUILDING ARE MORE LIKE TO ME IN ENGLISH CATHEDRAL WHICH IS WHERE I DID MOST OF MY STUDIES. I REMEMBER REHEARSING IN MANY CATHEDRALS IN THE UK AND BEING LOCKED IN LATE TONIGHT AND LEFT WITH THE INSTRUMENT TO EXPERIMENT AND GET READY FOR A CONCERT. SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE PRETTY CREEPY PLACES. THERE IS A POWER BEHIND THOSE INSTRUMENTS. MOZART CALLED THE ORGAN THE KING OF INSTRUMENTS. BECAUSE OF ITS POWER AND GRANDEUR. THAT IS WHAT I LIKE WHEN I PLAYED THE ORGAN. I LIKE TO HEAR THE MAJESTY OF THE INSTRUMENT. AND BALBOA PARK. EVEN THOUGH SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE ACOUSTICS THAT YOU ASSOCIATE WITH SOME OF THE BIG CATHEDRALS, THAT ORGAN HAS A MAJESTY THAT IS LIKE NO OTHER ORGAN AT TIMES. IT IS GREAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU PLAY YOU WEAR SPECIAL SHOES? CORRECT. WHY IS THAT? THE PEDAL BOARD IS A KEYBOARD ON THE FLOOR AND YOU HAVE 30 OR 32 NOTES TO DEAL WITH AND YOU ALMOST ARE DANCING WITH THE PEDALS. YOU NEED THE SHOES SO YOU CAN FEEL THE PEDALS. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK DOWN THERE. I DID A RECORDING YEARS AGO AT WEST POINT MILITARY ACADEMY ON -- IN NEW YORK AND DID THE FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE. THAT PIECE OF MUSIC HAD 1 MILLION AND HAVE HITS. IT IS FOCUSING ON THE PEDALS. IS NOT A PIECE I PARTICULARLY LIKE BUT IT IS FLAMBOYANT PIECE OF PEOPLE LIKE. THAT IS ONE REASON YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD SHOES TO PLAY THE ORGAN. I CAN PICTURE YOU ALMOST DISAPPEARING IN THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING BECAUSE HER HANDS ARE GOING AND YOUR FEET ARE GOING. ROBOT IS INVOLVED. THE HARDEST CONCERT THAT WE HAVE HAD AN PARK RECENTLY, ONE OF THE MOST JUBILANT CONCERTS WAS DECEMBER 31, 2014. THE ORGAN TURNED 100 YEARS OLD. IT WAS LITERALLY THE COLDEST NIGHTS WE HAVE EVER HAD AT THE ORGAN PAVILION. WE HAD ABOUT 5000 PEOPLE WRAPPED UP AND THEY STAY THERE UNTIL THE END. WE CELEBRATED THE ORGANS 100 YEARS. IT WAS COLD. THAT IS WHEN THE HOUNDS -- YOUR HANDS, YOU REALLY HAVE A BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH KEEPING THE HANDS WARM. IT DIFFICULT. DO YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO PRACTICE? THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. I KNOW WHEN TO PRACTICE ON THAT ORGAN. I KNOW INSIDE OUT SO I CAN KIND OF SET IT UP WITHOUT LOOKING, LISTENING TO THE SOUND BUT I PRACTICE AT TIMES WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T SO AROUND. I CAN PLAY THE ORGAN WITH JUST VERY QUIET SOUNDS. GREAT. IT HAS BEEN NICE TO HAVE YOU. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TO BALBOA PARK ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH CAROL WILLIAMS WHO HAS A NEW CD OUT CALLED "JUST CAROL". THAT IS IT FOR MIDDAY EDITION. HAVE A GREAT DAY.