BACH FESTIVAL 2025

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.

Dr. Francine Máté has been Organist/Choirmaster at Grace Episcopal Church, Georgetown since October, 1998, and Director of the Bach Festival at Grace Church since December, 1999. She has performed both Organ and/or Harpsichord on 22 of the 23 Bach Festivals for which she has been the Director.

Since 2003, she has traveled to Germany five times to study and play many of the same organs on which JS Bach performed and/or was part of the design and construction. Dr. Máté published an article about her study in the American Organist’s magazine, The Diapason. The 1981 A. David Moore organ at Grace Church, Georgetown was built using many of the same methods used by the organ builders of organs on which JS
Bach played.

Dr. Máté, a native of Houston, Texas, received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music/Organ Performance (cum laude) where she was an organ student under Dr. Robert Jones with whom she had studied since age 16. She went on to attend The University of Michigan, earning both the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees (Organ Performance) with organ study under the internationally renowned organist, Dr. Marilyn Mason.

She has performed solo organ recitals throughout The United States, including The Washington National Cathedral, St. John’s Lafayette Square, National City Christian Church, the University of Houston, and Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1983 she was the only American Organist invited to perform in the International Solo Organ Recital Series at St. Davids Cathedral in Dyfed, Wales.
Dr. Máté is a member of both the District of Columbia and European Chapters of the American Guild of Organists. She has served on the Board of the DC Chapter many times.

Dr. Máté had a twelve-year tenure as Organist/Choirmaster at St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan prior to moving to Washington, DC. Her first position as Organist was at the age of thirteen at Clark Memorial Methodist Church in Houston, Texas.

Versatile and critically acclaimed organist Dr. Jinsun Cho has been praised by The ORGAN for her “distinguished interpretation,” “sensibility,” and “brilliant technique.” Dr. Cho’s experience spans performance, musical leadership, and academic roles in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area, as well as her native South Korea. She has also appeared in concerts throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and South Korea.

Dr. Cho has won prizes in numerous prestigious competitions, including the Arthur Poister Organ Competition and the San Marino Organ Competition. She has held various roles, including organist at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Annandale, VA, and assistant director of the Capitol Hill Chorale in Washington, DC. Additionally, she has taught sacred music and applied organ/piano at Yonsei University and Mokwon University in South Korea, the Catholic University of America, and Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Currently, she serves as the Director of Music at the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, DC, where she oversees the entire music program and manages the Epiphany Tuesday Concert Series, which has been recognized by the Washington Post as one of the “Best Things to Do in the DC area.”

Dr. Cho holds degrees in church music and organ performance from Yonsei University (BM); Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University (MM, GPD); and Catholic University of America (DMA).

Kai Krakenberg was born in 1970 in Essen, where he also grew up, and attended school and music college. He was a student of Heiner Graßt from 1982-1992, who was his only organ teacher before he began his studies. He was already an extra-official organist in the ninth grade in Essen-Kray. He held this position until shortly before his A-Exams in 1997. He studied sacred music (organ, piano and conducting) at the Folkwang-College of Music in Essen with Professors Gisbert Schneider and Gerd Zacher. He successfully completed his A-Exams and received his degree in1997. During his studies, he was Professor Schneider’s assistant. During his studies, Kai Krakenberg took part in many fellowships and courses both in Germany and abroad with internationally renowned organists (Northern Germany, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Italy, and U.S.A.). From 1997-2000 he was the music director at the Lutheran Garnison Church From 2000-2005 he was the music director at Bergstedt Church, Hamburg.

Since April of 2005, Kai Krakenburg is the music director, cantor and organist at the city church of St. Mary in Husum, where Nicolaus Bruhns was also the director. In addition, he is the church district music director for the church district North Frisia and the director of the
West Coast C-Seminar.

Kai has played Bach’s complete organ works in 28 concerts at St. Mary’s, Husum In addition, his personal interest focuses on the works of the northern German school as well as the great organ works of German, French and Anglo-Saxon / American composers. As an organist, he has concertized in almost every European country, Russia, Asia, as well as the United States and Canada.