The Pops Orchestra Presents Organ-ized Pipes & Pops at the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center
Featuring Three Local Organists and Two Student Winners of the Sarasota Music Conservatory’s Concerto Competition
Prepare for an unforgettable afternoon of power, grandeur, and breathtaking sound as Organ-ized Pipes & Pops takes center stage on Saturday, May 2 at 3:00 p.m. at the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center in Bradenton.
Presented by The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota, the concert showcases the magnificent Elizabeth M. Eaton Memorial Pipe Organ, a one-of-a-kind Suncoast treasure that has been part of the community since the early 1970’s. Built by renowned Kansas City organ builder Charles W. McManis, the organ is one of only a handful of civic or academic-based organs in Florida. According to an article in the Bradenton Herald at the time of its dedication, the organ is “unique in southwest Florida and even the country, as it was the type of organ that would normally be found in churches.”
In 1971, Elizabeth M. Eaton, a noted Bradenton-area philanthropist who supported many Manatee County organizations, gave a lead gift of $50,000 to what was then Manatee Junior College to fund the construction of the organ; additional funds came almost entirely from the community. The instrument cost $83,225 to build and was dedicated in 1973. It is now worth close to $500,000.
The organ has a storied history and was once played by the great Virgil Fox. Restored and rededicated in 2000, the depth, power, and beauty of this pipe organ will be on full display during this concert. The instrument has 50 ranks, 3 manuals consisting of 61 keys, 32 pedals, approximately 2,800 pipes, and 54 stops.
Three local organists who have contributed to regional and national music communities will perform along with the first and second-place student winners of the Sarasota Music Conservatory’s Concerto Competition.
About the Organists:
Ann Stephenson Moe is an American concert organist and longtime Sarasota-based musician recognized for her artistry, versatility, and commitment to expanding the organ repertoire. Active as a performer, educator, and advocate for contemporary music, she has appeared in recitals and festivals throughout the United States and internationally. In Sarasota, she was the Organist-Choirmaster at Church of the Redeemer for 46 years and served as Music Director and Organist for almost 30 years at Temple Beth Israel. She has performed as a guest recitalist at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Sarasota, St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City, Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C., and the American Cathedral in Paris, France.
With the Pops Orchestra, Ann will be performing selections from Phantom of the Opera and Camilé Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 3., the “Organ Symphony.”
Dr. Jason Branham is an American organist, church musician, conductor, and teacher known for his work in sacred and liturgical music. Dr. Branham has served in key church music roles, including positions as Organist and Director of Music, leading choirs, worship music, and organ performances. He serves as a church music leader at congregations such as First Congregational UCC in Sarasota.
With the Pops Orchestra, Jason will be performing Grand Choir Dialogue for brass and organ by Eugene Gigout.
Glenn Priest is an accomplished American organist, pianist, choral conductor, and concert artist based in Sarasota, Florida. With a versatile career spanning performance, church music leadership, collaboration, and education, he is widely respected for his musical artistry and contributions to the regional and national music community. Early in his career, at the age of 22, he made his concert debut as pianist with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra. In June 2025, he joined the staff of Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota and is a prominent figure in Sarasota’s broader musical life, serving as principal keyboardist for Key Chorale, and also performing with Via Nova Chorale. Priest has appeared as organist and pianist with ensembles such as the Knoxville Symphony & Choral Society, the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, and in venues including St. Peter’s Cathedral in Tallahassee.
With the Pops Orchestra, Glenn will be performing Bob Christianson’s Organ Concerto #1, for strings, percussion, and organ.
Rising young artists also take the spotlight.
Selena Shen, a junior at Pine View School, has been a dedicated violin student at the Sarasota Music Conservatory since 2020. A decorated performer, she has earned top honors in multiple international competitions and served as the Concertmaster of the Florida All-State High School Concert Orchestra. Her notable performances include a solo appearance at Carnegie Hall in NYC and a chamber concert at the New World Center in Miami. Most recently, Selena won first place the Sarasota Music Conservatory’s Concerto Competition and will perform her winning selection with The Pops: Violin Concerto, first movement, by Jean Sibelius.
Leo Chen, an 8th-grade student at Pine View School in Sarasota, is a dedicated musician with a passion for both piano and violin. A devoted admirer of Bach, Leo has demonstrated exceptional talent, earning numerous local and international accolades. His achievements include Second Prize at the 2021 Carmel Klavier
International Competition, multiple Venice Musicale scholarships (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), First Prize in the 2021 Charleston International Baroque Competition, and top honors in the 2021 and 2022 Citta di Massa Italian International Competitions. In 2023, he won First Place in the Sarasota Youth Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition and was named Outstanding Young Violinist at the Northern Light Music Festival.
Leo has showcased his versatility by performing on both piano and violin in Pine View School’s Variety Show from 2021 to 2023. He was also an active member of Strings Con Brio, a Sarasota community string orchestra, and performed as a solo pianist at a Pine View concert in 2023. From 2022 to 2023, he served as the pianist for the Salvation Army Church of Venice. Last year, he won First Place in the 2024 Sarasota Music Conservatory Concerto Competition and performed the winning piece, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with the Pops. This year, he won second place at the 2025 Sarasota Music Conservatory Concerto Competition and will perform the third movement of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto with the Pops Orchestra.
Event Details:
Organ-ized Pipes & Pops
Saturday, May 2 | 3:00 p.m.
SCF Neel Performing Arts Center
5840 26th St W, Bradenton, FL 34207
Tickets, ranging in price from $35 – $65, are available online at ThePopsOrchestra.org, or by calling the box office at 941-926-POPS (7677).
About The Pops Orchestra
Since its founding in 1975, The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota has produced critically acclaimed musical attractions for enthusiastic audiences of all ages. As one of the top performing arts groups in a unique, culturally rich community, The Pops Orchestra attracts full-time residents, Suncoast “Snowbirds,” and vacationers to its concerts, proving to be a cultural and economic asset to the Greater Bradenton and Sarasota communities. The 65-piece orchestra consists of many of the community’s finest professional musicians, community music makers, music educators, and high school and college music students, reflecting the diversity of its audience and patrons.
About Dr. Robyn L. Bell
A passionate music educator and award-winning conductor, Dr. Robyn L. Bell has led The Pops Orchestra since 2011. Known for her creativity, charisma, and deep connection to the community, Dr. Bell has helped make the Pops a beloved cultural institution across Sarasota and Manatee counties.
