In Memoriam: Bruce Eicher
By Kitty Allen
Long-time member of the former Chesapeake/now Baltimore chapter of the AGO, Bruce Radleigh Eicher, died after a lingering illness on June 22, 2022 at the age of 90. Bruce served as Chapter Dean from 1984-86 and held other offices over the years – Placement Director and was our first Website Director.
A native of Wayland, Iowa, Bruce undertook his first organist position as an assistant at the age of 13. After receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute where he studied with the late Alexander McCurdy, Mr. Eicher was hired as Director of Music and Organist at Grace United Methodist Church. Study with the late Arthur Howes led to a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory and further graduate work with Mme. Nadia Boulanger followed at Les Écoles Américaines de Beaux Arts de Fontainebleau.
At Grace he expanded the music program to include choirs for adults, youth and children, and handbells. He instituted a Sunday afternoon concert series which featured performances of the great choral works by his Chancel Choir often augmented by collaborative invitations to other church and organizational choirs, accompanied by organ, and often by in-house instrumentalists and orchestras. For 20 years Grace hosted a French Organ Music Marathon during which 71 different organists (many of whom were AGO members) performed compositions by 73 French composers. The Concert Series also presented many of the well-known organists in recital – among them Paul Jacobs, Simon Preston, Felix Hell, Joyce Jones, Monsieur and Madame Duruflé (sometimes co-sponsored by the AGO). Widely recognized for his service playing, Bruce was a frequent recitalist over the years in the U. S. and Europe.
During his career, Bruce retired three times from major roles: after 28 years as head of the Ear Training faculty at Peabody where he was also asked to be part of the jury for organ student admissions and recitals; from Grace United Methodist Church after 55 years (1958-2013) after which the congregation endowed The Bruce R. Eicher Prize in Organ at Peabody; and 56 years as Organist at Beth El Congregation (1964-2019).
As a moment of personal privilege, when Bruce and I were both on the staff at Grace, he was chapter Dean and needed assistance with publishing the Pipe & Pedal. He enlisted my help which led to more than 30 years of me editing the newsletter. Over the years I traveled with him twice on tours to France where he was performing and we visited many of the cathedrals and churches famous for their organists, instruments and music legendry, to Regional and National AGO Conventions, and just trips around the U.S. When Grace was considering a new console during a capital renovation of its sanctuary, Bruce, George Kahl and I went to the west coast to visit an organ factory and several sites of organ installations to hear sounds that we liked to include in the new digital ranks to be added to our pipe organ. Our new organ was moved to the other side of the sanctuary, installed on an elevator that could be raised to highlight the organist soloist. Bruce loved this when he played the July 4th “Stars and Stripes Forever”! For organ recitals, the instrument could be moved to the center of the chancel.
Bruce also lured me to Peabody where I was hired as Assistant to the Conservatory Dean, receiving the Hopkins benefits I would need following the death of my husband, so we were colleagues yet again on Mount Vernon Place. For decades I handled the publicity and program production for our church concert series, sang in his choir for 37 years, and upon my retirement, he and the choir installed the Kitty Allen French Horn stop and draw knob on our console – such a creative honor! The Baltimore Chapter AGO has even made me an Honorary Life Member! All this, and I am not even an organist, but I love you all and the King of Instruments!
From Bruce’s letter of application Grace in 1958. His credo was his life’s mission.
I believe:
That the Ministry of Music is a calling to serve Christ through specialized talents.
That a church can best be served by a choir system with a place for the singer of every age.
That as a result of the Ministry of Music, those who participate and those who can hear can be led to an enriched relationship with the church they serve and the God they worship.
That the music program must always be guided by high ideals with emphasis on serving the church.
Sadly, the field of church music is rapidly changing especially for organists and those who so love the classical sacred repertoire. We mourn the loss of our colleague and friend but cherish the memories and the blessings of his abundant gifts to us for many years. Before his death, Bruce had planned a special concert to be performed in his honor. Chris Schroeder, his friend and successor at Grace, hopes to schedule this memorial program in Grace’s coming concert series. Watch for further news.