Walking through Music Hall on Friday evening may treat passersby to peals of organ music courtesy of Mary Jane Crail. Crail is performing for free at 7:30 p.m. as a part of the Guest Artists Recital Series in the Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall. The concert marks the 15th annual event by the Organists of Iowa.

According to Lynn Zeigler, organist and professor of music, the concert will feature a single “monumental work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The rest is all contemporary music from the 20th century.”

An organ and flute duet will also be included, with the flute being played by Sarah Allard, junior in music.

Crail is the organist and director of music at Clear Lake United Methodist Church. She also directs the adult and children choirs and two bell choirs and is also a member of the Fellowship of United Methodists In Workshop and Musical Arts.

Crail learned her organ techniques at Drake University from Russel Saunders, Carl Staplin and most recently Karen Ullestad. She now has students of her own to whom she gives private piano and organ lessons.

Zeigler compared organ playing to piano playing by saying, “It’s very similar keyboarding, but there’s the added issue of the feet.” She said the repertoire of organists is different, as well as how they approach the notes.

Even people who are new to organ music can appreciate “hearing some very, very beautiful sounds from a very competent organist,” Zeigler said.

In addition, the recital hall is visually impressive with the long organ pipes reaching up to the ceiling, according to Zeigler.

The organ concert is being sponsored by Sukup Manufacturing Co. and Family of Sheffield, Iowa.