Joseph Peeples

A Thousand Oaks native who has returned to his hometown to teach music at California Lutheran University will present his first faculty recital on Saturday, Oct. 22.

Joseph Peeples will perform a concert of organ music at 7:30 p.m. in Samuelson Chapel on the Thousand Oaks campus.

The concert celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Borg Petersen Memorial Organ’s dedication. To mark the occasion, Peeples will play a dramatic piece featured in the inaugural concert, Chorale No. 2 in B Minor by César Franck.

Peeples will also present a variety of compositions for organ featuring music by William Bolcom, J.S. Bach, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Felix Mendelssohn, Josef Rheinberger and Louis Vierne.

Growing up in Thousand Oaks, Peeples studied piano with nationally honored teacher Ed Francis and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Channel Islands. He left home to earn a master’s degree in music from Brigham Young University and a doctorate from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He taught a variety of music courses at both universities and continues to serve on the faculty of the annual Brigham Young University Organ Workshop in Provo, Utah.

Peeples was a finalist in the 2014 Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition in Organ Playing. He recently performed during the L’Organo Recital Series of Charleston’s annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival. A church musician for 20 years, he currently serves as a substitute organist for churches throughout the Los Angeles area.

At Cal Lutheran, the adjunct professor teaches applied organ and courses in music appreciation and keyboard harmony. He also teaches at Pepperdine University.

The Borg Petersen Memorial Organ was dedicated in October 1991. Created with the chapel in mind, the 2,109-pipe organ took almost a year to construct. Artisans crafted it from white oak to blend with the chapel furnishings. Huge zinc and copper pipes soar 26 feet vertically, and three tiers of brass Spanish trumpets jut horizontally from the pipes. The console is made of walnut burl with cherry and maple wood stops. The pedals and the keys, both naturals and sharps, are made of rosewood.

Donations will be accepted.

The chapel is located at 165 Chapel Lane. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit CalLutheran.edu/music.