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With more than 80,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, 29-year-old Austrian organist Lukas Hasler is one of the world’s most successful organists on social media and is gaining recognition for his colorful and passionate musicality. Named “rising star” by the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung in 2020, The 2019 Gran Prix winner at the International Organ Competition and a two-time Prima la Musica music competition winner has a thriving international concert career, which has taken him to Europe, Asia, and Australia as well as to some of the largest cathedrals in the United States. In 2022, he was the first classical musician to perform in Ukraine after the start of the war and played two benefit concerts in the Lviv Concert Hall for the victims of the war. Read moreProgram:Martinikerk, Doesburg, Netherlands (Walker)Sonata in A Major Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)Con moto maestosoAndante tranquillo Bachorgel, Arnstadt, Germany (Wender)Prelude and Fugue in F Major Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) Oakland, CA (Skinner)Symphony 0 Scherzo Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)(arr. Erwin Horn) St. Etienne, Caen, France (Cavaillé-Coll)Fantaisie in Eb Major Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) Con moto Allegro di molto e con fuocoFanfare in D Major Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens (1823-1881)Bolero de Concert op. 166 Alfred Lefebure-Wely (1817-1869) Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Portland, OR (Rosales)Prelude and Fugue on BACH Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Lukas Hasler is part of a new generation of organists who have gained international recognition through virtuosity, creativity, and a strong media presence. He currently lives and works between Vienna and Los Angeles, where he is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Southern California under the guidance of Cherry Rhodes. He previously completed his organ performance studies with distinction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz with Ulrich Walther, and gained formative international experience in Strasbourg with Johann Vexo and in Hamburg, where he also earned a master’s degree in cultural and media management.His concert activities have taken him to renowned venues around the world – from Brisbane City Hall in Australia to the Philharmonic Festival in Volgograd, Russia, and the historic Bruckner organ in St. Florian, Austria. In the United States, he has performed in cathedrals coast to coast, as well as in legendary halls such as the Methuen Memorial Music Hall in Boston. Other notable highlights include his appearance at the opening celebration of the Salzburg Festival and performances at both regional and national AGO Conventions.In 2022, Hasler made a powerful musical statement of solidarity: he was the first classical musician to perform in Ukraine after the outbreak of war, giving two benefit concerts for victims of the conflict at the concert hall in Lviv. He is also a sought-after pedagogue, giving international masterclasses at institutions such as the Conservatory of Madrid and the University of Almaty in Kazakhstan.In addition to performing, Lukas Hasler is also active as a composer and arranger. His early works were awarded in the “Jugend komponiert” competition, and his organ transcriptions have become a core part of his repertoire. A major milestone was his recording at the great organ in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. His solo album A Portrait (2019), featuring works by Bach, Liszt, Dupré, and his own improvisations, was enthusiastically received by both critics and audiences. That same year, the Kleine Zeitung named him “Newcomer of the Year.”With his passion project Organ For Planet, Hasler connects music with global awareness: he performs organ concerts at extraordinary locations across the globe – places of unique geographic, cultural, or political significance. The project began with a concert at St. Thomas Church in New York, shortly after the U.S. elections. Future destinations include the one-of-a-kind stalactite organ in Luray Caverns (USA), the world’s largest church in Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast), and the northernmost permanently inhabited place on Earth: Svalbard.With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, Lukas Hasler is today one of the most visible and influential organists in the world – as a performer, communicator, and bridge-builder between tradition and the present. Pre-show Special Presentation Ticket holders can join Vista Philharmonic Orchestra resident organist Randy Steere before the concert at 2pm for a fascinating lecture on Groton Hill Music Center's unique Hauptwerk instrument. You'll learn about the cutting-edge technology behind our amazing virtual pipe organ, why it makes such a positive difference for performers and listeners alike, and experience a demonstration of the full breadth of its sound before Lukas Hasler takes the stage for his performance at 3pm.
