LEWISTON — Organist Matt Emkey will give the last of this year’s noonday concerts at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Emkey’s musical career spans a number of genres and styles, performing as a keyboardist in over 500 shows with 20 different rock bands. As a classically trained pianist and organist, he has concertized extensively throughout the Northeastern United States and in Western Europe. Emkey has presented solo organ recitals in many churches, concert halls and universities, and was awarded a four-year Presidential Scholarship for Distinguished Achievement to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. There, he studied organ performance and music theory with world-renowned Composer-in-Residence Dr. Dan Locklair, winning the Patricia Sloan Mize Award for outstanding instrumental performance while still a freshman.

In December 2010, Emkey was named full-time organist to the Cathedral Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in the Diocese of Palm Beach, Fla., and subsequently appointed as the director of Music Ministries. He served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, overseeing music programs for over 250,000 Catholics in the 52 parishes of the Diocese of Palm Beach. He has been an active member of the American Guild of Organists since 1997.

Since relocating to Maine last summer, Emkey has had the opportunity to perform at Merrill Auditorium on the Kotzschmar Organ and at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He currently serves as organist at Holy Martyrs Church/Parish of the Holy Eucharist and recently accepted the position of interim organist at Williston-Immanuel United Church. In addition to working for the Diocese of Portland, Matt works full-time for the law firm of Lambert Coffin and currently resides in downtown Portland.

His program at the Basilica will include works by Bach, Franck and Vierne. This concert is free and open to the public, although donations toward the organ restoration fund are greatly appreciated.

For more information, contact Scott Vaillancourt at Scott.Vaillancourt@PortlandDiocese.org or call at 207-240-9419.