Arts & Entertainment

Shop talk

Organist Christopher Houlihan on tricks of the trade, his weekend recital and why being out is not a big deal

Published

12 years ago

November 22, 2013

Christopher Houlihan is slated to perform works such as Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale ‘Ad Nos ad salutarem undam’ and Patrick Greene’s ‘Steel Symphony for Organ’ at his recital Sunday at First Baptist. (Photo by Ali Winberry; courtesy Classical Music Communications)

Organist Christopher Houlihan
In recital
Playing the new 118-rank Austin organ
First Baptist Church of Washington
1328 16th Street, N.W.
Sunday at 4 p.m.
Free

Organ virtuoso Christopher Houlihan will be in Washington this weekend for a recital at First Baptist Church.

He lives in Queens, New York but is on the road more often than not. We caught up by phone with the 26-year-old during a rehearsal break two weeks ago in Hartford, Conn. His comments have been slightly edited for length.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Do you have an organ at home?

CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN: No. I practice at a church on the Upper West Side where I’m artist in residence. I practice there and play for them a few times a year. I’m on the road too much to have a regular church job.

BLADE: Is it far from your place? Is it like many of us are with the gym — if it’s too much hassle to get there, we don’t go as often as we should?

HOULIHAN: It’s a subway ride but it works out OK. It gets me out of my apartment. If I were a violinist, I’d just pick up my instrument and practice. But I get to practice in all these amazing spaces, which is much more inspiring than just sitting in my apartment. I like it that practicing takes me to these beautiful spaces.

BLADE: The organ at First Baptist is new. How long will you need to familiarize yourself with it before your recital?

HOULIHAN: I’ll be arriving on Friday afternoon. I never know how long it will take with a new organ. I estimate needing more time when it’s a larger instrument. I’ll be practicing late into the night on Friday and probably Saturday as well.

BLADE: Some young organists say they’re tired of having to constantly learn a new instrument while most seem to accept that it’s part of the deal. Are you frustrated by it?

HOULIHAN: It can be frustrating. Believe me, I’ve had situations where I’m really frustrated because the organ I’m playing can’t do the things I want it to do or it might not be a great instrument. But pianists have to do deal with that too in some ways. Of course organs are much more different. But at the same time, it can also be incredibly rewarding. I think of it like being a conductor and working with different orchestras. Some, maybe, the woodwinds are weak. With others, it might be the brass. … Others you play with are just stunning and inspiring and wonderful. The site specificity, the uniqueness of each instrument, brings so much more to the idea of going to hear an organ recital so each performance ends up being different from the rest.

BLADE: Is it sort of like driving a rental car and you can’t figure out how to turn the wipers on?

HOULIHAN: Sort of. I have that problem in rental cars all the time. It can be scary but exciting.

BLADE: Do you have a favorite organ builder or company?

Christopher Houlihan. (Photo by Ali Winberry; courtesy Classical Music Communications)

HOULIHAN: No, but I have a soft spot for Austin because I’ve played a lot of them and the first organ I had lessons on was an Austin.

BLADE: Do you play from memory?

HOULIHAN: For the most part. … It’s a lot harder to change registrations if I have to read the music too.

BLADE: Does it come naturally as you practice or is memorizing a significant part of the rehearsal process?

HOULIHAN: It’s never a skill that came naturally. I had to develop it, but it’s part of the learning process. … I find once I internalize the piece that way, I’m able to digest it better.

BLADE: Isn’t the thought of blanking out terrifying? I suppose it happens occasionally on the stage for actors.

HOULIHAN: Everyone has those scary moments sometimes but you just deal with it and that’s really the only answer. It can be terrifying, but you move forward and get over it.

BLADE: When you’re playing standard repertoire that so many great organists have played over the years, how do you bring something new to it or do you think in those terms?

HOULIHAN: I don’t necessarily try to be different. I just try to be honest to my personality and try to play it like I want to play it. … I just try to listen to my instincts and play it the way I think it should be played. That may be different from other interpretations or very similar, but I just try to be honest to the music and to myself.

BLADE: It seems the gulf is widening between the world of organ music aficionados and the general public. There are obviously folks who are really into it and can geek out and talk ad infinitum, but so many of the media questions asked of organists are stuff like, “How would you describe this for somebody who’s never been to an organ recital before?” I know you’ve had that question. Whereas nobody on ESPN asks pro athletes to describe their event for someone who’s never been to a football or baseball game. Do you feel this is true? If so, why?

The new Austin Organ (Op. 2795) at First Baptist Church of Washington. (Blade photo by Joey DiGuglielmo)

HOULIHAN: I think it’s true with classical music in general, not just organ music. I think fewer and fewer people attend churches so they’re hearing less and less organ music. So it becomes something that seems more foreign to the general public.

BLADE: But is the public generally less interested in classical music than it was, say, 50 years ago?

HOULIHAN: I think so, but I have no idea why. When people ask me the “what to expect” question, it makes me feel as if I have to prove it’s something they should care about. I think maybe we have to prove ourselves a bit more than musicians in other fields, but I also think maybe organists overall could do a better job of bringing people in and intriguing them. It’s such an instrument that’s unlike any other instrument. It’s big and epic and you see people getting hooked and drawn in by it all the time. I try to convey that this is different and exciting and something that’s worth giving it a shot. People do end up loving it many times, this happens over and over. But as for how to fill that gap more generally, I don’t know. It’s never gonna be the kind of music that fills stadiums, but it is exciting and can really communicate to your soul, as cliché as that sounds. It’s music that can reach out and communicate in a very deep way. I try to reach people to their core and move them somehow. That’s what music does for me.

BLADE: Did you decide to be out at the beginning of your career or was it just a natural outgrowth of your personal life?

HOULIHAN: I came out in high school to my friends and family. It’s not really a big part of my musical public personality but it’s who I am. It’s never been a problem.

BLADE: Are you in a relationship now?

HOULIHAN: No.

BLADE: With movie and TV performers, there’s a huge degree of interest in who’s sleeping with whom, yet in classical music it swings to the other extreme where it’s treated as a non-issue, but sometimes so much so that it seems kind of disingenuous. Why?

HOULIHAN: Right. I think maybe there should be a bit more conversation about that. I think it would make it seem much less like what we’re doing is so elitist or something. I think a bit more talk about that sort of thing or excitement about people’s lives could be a positive development. I think it would make us seem more interesting to the general public like we’re not just these old farts, we are interesting people. And of course the organ world is very gay and there are lots of gay people involved. It’s never been a thing for me. I’m out and there’s never been any reason not to be.

Up Next

Sights, sounds and smells

Don't Miss

Calendar: events through Nov. 28

FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Bars & Parties

Mixtape Sapphics hosts holiday party on Dec. 13

‘Sugar & Spice’ night planned for Saturday

Published

12 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

(Photo by New Africa/Bigstock)

Mixtape Sapphics will host “Sapphic Sugar & Spice: A Naughty-Nice Mixtape Holiday Party” on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Amsterdam Lounge.

This is a festive, grown holiday party for queer women and sapphics 35 and older at Revolt’s Christmas pop-up. There will be music, joy, and an optional White Elephant.

This is Mixtape Sapphics’ first-ever holiday party — a cozy, flirty, intentionally grounded night created just for queer women and sapphics 35+ who want real connection, festive joy, and a warm place to land at the end of the year.

Tickets start at $13.26 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Calendar

Calendar: December 12-18

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

12 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, December 12

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website or email [email protected].

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, go to Facebook.

Saturday, December 13

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. D.C.’s queer community will gather for good food, laughter, and community. For more information, email [email protected].

Sunday, December 14

SADBrunch will host “HokiSlay Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Throw Social. This festive affair brings fierce performances, over-the-top holiday looks, and more sparkle than a tinsel explosion. Expect powerhouse lip-syncs, laughter, and cheer hotter than your spiked cocoa. Cake Pop will host the event. Tickets cost $28.52 and are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, December 15

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Tuesday, December 16

Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather and discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ community and a full-time martial arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a Fifth Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.

Wednesday, December 17

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].

Thursday, December 18

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Egypt

Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’

Game to take place on June 26

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

Michael K. Lavers

(Photo by fifg/Bigstock)

Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.

The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”

“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.

The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.

Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’

The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.

“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”

“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.